The light in the darkness
by Frostycookies
Summary: Ever since that fateful night, he had learnt the true meaning of deception. He was trained to be silent from then on, to live and strive in the darkness, while he maintained his façade of 'Dame Tsuna'. This is a story about how Tsuna decided to live in the shadows, while his younger sister became the heir of the Vongola family. Older Tsuna. Assassin Tsuna with a little twist.
1. PrOlOgUe

Prologue

Warnings: Will contain gore, Ooc behaviour, an older Tsuna and Kyoko. No romance though.

* * *

" _Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Sun Tzu**_ _,_ _ **The Art of War**_

Grade 4: Age 10 years old

Ever since he was little, Tsuna had been good at nothing. It was a little cruel to think about oneself in such a way, but for Tsuna that was his reality from the day he was borne into this world. He was the first to notice such a truth and when he was old enough, others around him started to notice as well. As such, they started to prey upon him. It wasn't his fault though, he kept on telling himself, even as the bullies tripped him. He could feel his body gravitate to the cold, hard ground and he submitted himself to the pain that would no doubt follow. Snow crushed his face as he finally fell, the laughter in the background just as hurtful as his now bruised face. "You really are good for nothing!" one of them taunted and Tsuna didn't even bother to defend himself. He found that it was better to wallow in the pain and ignore them. So, just as always, Tsuna remained as he was, with his face glued to the ground, the snow burrowing its way into his nostrils, his eyes and his mouth. It was bitterly cold and it threatened to numb his skin.

"Stop it!" someone screamed and he knew exactly who it was. Those who had surrounded Tsuna scampered as his ferocious best friend defended him. "I'll beat you all up if I see you harassing Tsuna-kun again!" the girl yelled but they were all gone. He felt when a hand landed on his shoulder and gently turned him. "Are you okay?" she asked and when he finally opened his eyes, he was gifted with the sight of Kyoko looking down at him with a soft smile on her lips. He took the offered hand and allowed Kyoko to help him up.

"I'm just peachy" he joked and Kyoko frowned as he dusted the snow off of his black jacket.

"You forgot this in class today" Kyoko told him as she pulled out an orange scarf from her bag. His eyes widened and she shook her head as she wrapped the scarf around his neck.

"I didn't even…" he was going to say but stopped himself. How could he forget about such a precious item? Because of his carelessness, he almost lost his treasured possession.

"It's okay, Tsuna-kun. You forgot, it happens" Kyoko assured him once she saw the shadow that fell over his face. When she saw that her words held no effect on her best friend, she bopped him on the head.

"Ow!" he yelped and she chuckled as she walked off. "What was that for?" he asked as he caught up with her.

"That was for thinking too much" Kyoko said as she snuggled into her own scarf as they trudged through the snow. He mumbled something under his breath though there was a small smile on his face. "So, are you going to tell me what's going on?" she asked as the cold wind whipped against them.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Tsuna said as he looked off into the distance. Namimori had been covered in a white blanket. Kyoko arched an eyebrow but said nothing. As the silence stretched on, he relented. " _ **He**_ came home last night" Tsuna mumbled and Kyoko's eyes narrowed. She knew exactly who he was referring to and she hated the man just as much as Tsuna did.

"So that's why you've been so moody today" Kyoko said and rubbed her red nose. She hated the snow as much as Tsuna's father. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, allowing the hurt she felt to filter into her voice.

"Because I didn't want to make a big deal out of it" Tsuna sighed and Kyoko turned to him. "I know it sounds stupid but I just….ugh!" the boy said as he threw his hands in the air in frustration. "I just hate him so much" he whispered, trying his best not to cry in the middle of the street. Though there weren't anyone around, it would still be embarrassing if he broke down in public.

"I know" Kyoko whispered as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. They stood there for a while, Tsuna struggling with his own emotions. He knew it was wrong to hate his father, but it was also hard NOT to.

Ever since he was a little, the man was never around. He was always making up some stupid reason for his disappearance, and as he grew older, it was hard to believe the man. He wasn't as naïve as his mother was. Yet if Tsuna was honest with himself, he would admit that the real reason why he hated his father was because he blamed the man for his own weaknesses. He always secretly thought to himself, 'If he had been around, maybe I wouldn't be so weak'. If his father had been there for Tsuna, maybe the man would have taught Tsuna how to fight off the bullies that always flocked around the smaller boy. Maybe, he wouldn't be known as 'No Good' for all his life. He knew it was wrong to blame his own faults on his father, but hey, if the man was never there, it was easier to lay the accusations on him rather than own up to them. Besides, it didn't help that his father always seemed to be home for his younger sister. In fact, the blonde always made time to see Teruko, more than he had ever done for Tsuna. While he was arguing with himself for all the reasons why his father sucked, he felt it.

A cold sliver of fear raked down his back like an invisible fingernail. Someone was watching them. Tsuna's pupils dilated and his muscles locked up. He tried to see if Kyoko felt it as well, but guessing from the neutral look on her face, he knew she hadn't. When she noticed the pure distress that enveloped Tsuna on the other hand, she immediately moved to ask him what was wrong, when a shaky hand was placed over her mouth. She cringed as his sweaty palm pressed against her lips. "Tsu-…." She was going to say but stopped when she saw the panic on her friend's face. Not even when Tsuna was faced with bullies, had she seen him look that way, so she decided to remain silent, seeing as that was what he wanted from her.

The gaze on his back felt sharp, as though the person would physically hurt him with just a look. His stomach clenched as he tried to turn around but every movement he made felt like razors were digging into his flesh. His body jolted when a wave of something sinister rolled towards him. His vision darkened as the presence invaded his senses. It robbed him of all sight, of all scent, of all sound, of all taste. All that he was, and all that he could feel was terror. It slithered into every nook and cranny of his body. It felt like the sick sensation that the person brought churned through his soul and left him feeling vile. Tsuna stumbled away from Kyoko and slowly pivoted his head a fraction to the right. The bloodlust intensified and suffocated him. It drowned all rational thoughts from his mind, only for the words "DiE, DiE, DiE, DiE, DiE **"** to schizophrenically echo in the walls of his consciousness. Feeble hands rose to cover his ears in an attempt to block out the presence, when he felt it shift. NO! NO! NO! He could feel it slowly turn to Kyoko. Grabbing onto the little bravado and courage he had, he stepped in front of his friend, his body shaking like a leaf. "L-leave h-h-her a-alone" he stammered as he finally got a glimpse of the person. A white kabuki mask was what he was met with. Two lines of red ran down from the eye holes like blood. The man, as Tsuna deduced from his height and stature, chuckled. He raised a hand at Tsuna, his index finger pointing at him.

"YoUaRe ThE OnE" the man croaked out and before Tsuna could blink, he disappeared. A veil seemed to have been lifted from Tsuna and the boy fell to his butt.

"Tsuna-kun" Kyoko whispered as the boy trembled as he hugged his knees. "What's…." she was saying but the frantic look Tsuna shot her, caused the words to die in her mouth.

"Y-You….s-s-s-saw…t-that t-t-too r-right?" he asked and Kyoko kneeled in front of him as she held his face in her hands.

"Saw what, Tsuna-kun?" she asked and that only served to cause more panic in the boy. Kyoko could only hold onto her best friend as he sobbed on her shoulder.

* * *

Sawada Nana stood in front of the stove, a blissful smile on her face as she stirred the sauce in the pot with a wooden spoon. She could hear her husband and six year old daughter in the living room, both laughing as they played hide and seek together. She glanced at the clock and frowned. Tsuna-kun hadn't reach home as yet, and she was getting worried. Before she could ponder too much on the thought though, there was a knock on the front door. "I'll get it!" she chirped to her husband. She took off the apron that was secured on her slim waist and with a little hum, she moved to greet whoever it was that showed up on their front step. Yanking the door open, the usual blissful look on her face, cracked.

"It's been awhile" the man with haori on his shoulders said as her hand gripped harshly onto the doorknob. His white hair shimmered in the dim light of the porch. "Well, are you going to let me in, dearest daughter?" he asked, his voice dripping sweet like honey, though his eyes were sharp as a snake's. Nana smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes as it normally did.

"Papa!" she gleefully said as she moved forward. The man moved to the side and she pouted. He on the other hand chuckled as he glanced down to see that glinting silver had disappeared in the sleeves of her sweater. "What are you doing here?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, her eyes closed as her mouth formed a smile.

"It has begun" he annotated and without another word, Nana opened the door wider for him. As he walked into the house, he pushed the peeping white mask back into his pocket before the door was closed behind him. **It had indeed begun**.

* * *

Author's notes:

This idea has been wiggling around my mind for a while….and it was only recently that it started to nag me. I know that I have a lot of stories to update and continue, but this story was so painfully demanding, that if I didn't bring it to life, I swore I would go mad.

More of the plot will be revealed in the next chapter.

Ps: I've decided to name Tsuna's sister Teruko, as in 'shining child' instead of the usual Natsume as most writers choose.


	2. ChApTeR 1

ChApTeR oNe – The harbinger of destruction

Disclaimer: Totally forgot to add it in in the prologue so here it is. PS: I also don't own the image used.

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" _Never tell the truth to people who are not worthy of it."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Mark Twain**_

When Tsuna had finally gotten a hold of himself, he had managed to reach home. Since Kyoko lived some streets away from him, they said their goodbyes to each other in front of his house. He could see that she was worried about him, but he reassured her that he was alright. "I think it's just the stress" he kept telling her, but not even he could believe such a blatant lie. The fear he felt was too real to be just 'stress'. Not even his mind could conjure up something as ominous as that masked man. As Kyoko finally left, though not convinced, he slipped his key into the lock and with a click, he heard when the door opened. "Tuna-kun!" he heard an energetic voice call out to him as he stepped into the house. As he was in the process of taking off his shoes, his jacket and his scarf, his little sister ran into the hallway. She was still too young to call him Tsuna and so had settled on Tuna. The tiny girl glopped him, and she laughed as they fell to the ground. He yelped a little as his head made contact with the genkan*. The blonde haired girl, something she inherited from their father, grinned down at him, from her spot on his chest.

"It's nice to see you too, Teruko-chan" Tsuna greeted his little sister. She giggled as Tsuna tickled her a little when he sat up. He gently placed her on her feet while he struggled to stand on his own.

"Ne, ne, Tuna-kun, did you bring back anything for me?" she asked, her blue eyes sparkling up at him. She tugged at his clothes and beamed as he took out a few candies from his pocket. It was sort of their tradition every time he got home from school. She would ask him the same question, and he would represent to her, little candies that would forever make him her favourite person in the world. "Thank you, Tuna-kun!" she said as she hugged his leg. No matter what, she was the one person he could never hate. He gave her head a good ruffle and she looked up at him, unadulterated admiration in her eyes.

"Teruko-chan!" a voice broke through their brother-sister moment. The carefree smile that was on Tsuna's face snapped to a million pieces as their father raced into the hallway. Teruko, ever the observant child, frowned at her brother's reaction. Their father who had finally noticed his son, forced a smile his way, something that Tsuna mirrored. "Hello Tsuna" their father greeted as he picked up Teruko.

"Father" Tsuna said as he bowed. The word alone was bitter in his mouth but he didn't show it.

"You're late" Iemitsu said, though he hoped it didn't come out too reprimanding. Tsuna just nodded as he placed his shoes in the corner. Teruko placed a hand on his cheek and he cooed over his little princess, momentarily forgetting his oldest child as he lavished the little girl with all his love. "Oh, right. Your grandfather is here" he added as an afterthought as he stopped placing kisses on Teruko's cheek. Tsuna straightened his back at the man's words. "He's in the kitchen with your mother" he said, and even Tsuna could hear the barely veiled aversion in his father's voice. It was a known fact that Iemitsu did not like his mother's father. Maybe it was because his grandfather never approved of his father…and every time he visited, the older man held no qualms in making such a fact known. On some level, Tsuna liked that about his grandfather. Every insult directed at Iemitsu left the boy smirking into his sleeve. "Go greet him" he said and left with Teruko on his arm. Tsuna nearly snorted before listening to what his father said. When he did enter the kitchen, his mother, just like his sister, threw herself on him.

"Tsuna-kun, why are you so late?" she asked as she pulled away from him. Tsuna nervously chuckled at her. He knew that she was angry without even showing it.

"We stopped a little to pick up some candy for Teruko-chan" he lied, a little surprised that it came out so easily. His mother nodded, blissfully unaware as always before she turned to the man sitting near the table. Tsuna unconsciously gulped. His grandfather was a rather imposing man. Even as he sat down on the wooden chair, in a modest kitchen, the man somehow made it seem like he was sitting on a throne. He held himself with a dignity that would make even the Queen of England proud, and held a composure that reminded Tsuna of those samurai he often saw on television. His entire head was white, resembling that of the snow that fell outside, and his face was a little tanned, though it was not wrinkly. There were fine lines like hairline cracks running across the corner of his eyes, as though time itself had carved them there itself. His grandfather who had black eyes, watched him carefully as he bowed. He always felt that in the man's presence, he was like a mouse presented to a large python. He knew that a certain danger lurked behind his grandfather, though there was no evidence to support such a claim. Even on his short visits to the Sawada home, his grandfather always treated Tsuna and Teruko gently. Yet, that never fooled Tsuna. "Good evening, Grandfather" Tsuna said.

"Hello, Tsuna-kun" his grandfather said. His voice was never loud like his father's. In fact, it was always almost above a whisper, serving for others to lean in to listen to him. The man wore a moss green kimono with a black haori on his shoulders. His hands were clasped over each other on his plain brown cane. "Have a seat" he told him and Nana nodded at Tsuna who didn't even know when he had turned to his mother for confirmation. When Tsuna sat down opposite from the man, his mother moved back to the stove, humming a little. Tsuna felt awkward as they stared at each other. "How have you been?" his grandfather asked when three minutes of silence had passed.

"I've been fine" Tsuna said. He didn't know why but he always waited for the man to speak up first and made sure to always reply to whatever questions positioned his way.

"Good. That's good" his grandfather said as he took in the appearance of his oldest grandson. He was both short and skinny for his age. He had a round face like his daughter's, fluffy brown hair and honest brown eyes. Interesting, he thought to himself. It had been nearly a year since he last visited and it seemed like in his absence, the boy had grown a bit in spirit. The boy may fool others with his simple appearance, but he could see that in the boy's eyes held a certain resilience that he took favour of. "I brought something for you" the man said and placed a little parcel on the table. He watched as the boy just looked at it without making a move to take it up. Interesting indeed. "Go ahead" the man said as he nudged his head up a little. Tsuna brought his hands from his lap and with hesitance, he carefully grabbed it up. Tsuna slowly unwrapped the present (which he assumed it was) and his eyes widened at the sight of three daifuku* on a pretty plate. Quite the presentation, Tsuna found himself thinking. As though reading his thoughts, his grandfather smirked. "I thought you would enjoy them" he explained.

"They're all mine?" Tsuna questioned and his grandfather would've laughed if not for the silence in the room. Nana had stopped humming and he knew that was a bad sign. Well, he had told her that this was the beginning, and as such, she had no right to stop him. It was the boy's test after all.

"Yes, Tsuna-kun. They're all yours" he said to the boy. His grandson turned to his daughter, another question on his lips.

"Mama, can I really?" Tsuna asked and Nana nodded without turning his way. He knew how hard this was going to be for his daughter, but they all had to undergo such a trial.

"Go ahead, Tsuna-kun" he said and he watched as the boy tentatively took up a single daifuku. The boy held it to his mouth before his eyebrows knitted together. Hmm…did he know?

"This smells a little funny" Tsuna said and the man nearly lost it. The boy was by far the best he had seen so far. Such raw potential….Kami….

"There's nothing wrong with the daifuku, Tsuna-kun" he said and with that, he watched as the boy placed the sweet in his mouth. As his grandson chewed, Nana's shoulders grew tenser. When he swallowed, he picked up another daifuku. "How is it?" he asked, and the boy smiled back at him.

"It's tasty" Tsuna replied as he continued to wolf down the remaining two. When he was finished, he had noticed the pleased look on his grandfather's face. Though the gesture was debatable, he remained silent. If his mother said it was fine, then it was fine. Besides, it was just a treat…his grandfather would never purposefully harm him. "Thank you, grandfather" Tsuna said as he bowed his head, licking his lips at the remaining crumbs.

"You're most certainly welcome, Tsuna-kun" the man said and before Tsuna could dissect what the smile on his face meant, his head lolled to the side. "Mama…." The boy whispered before he was knocked unconscious. Before his forehead could make contact with the wooden table, a hand stopped him.

"He had better survive this" she snarled at him, but the corners of the man's eyes just creased in delight.

"That's up to Tsuna-kun" was all he replied as a knife was hurled his way. His head swerved just as the tip of the blade could lodge its way into his skull and listened rather than watched as it slammed into the wall behind him. Without another word, he got up and quickly hid it in his sleeve as Iemitsu entered with Teruko.

"What happened to Tuna-kun?" Teruko asked as Nana's mask was fastened back on her face. It was rather amusing to see his daughter pretend to be a fool.

"Tsuna-kun fainted a little. Iemitsu-kun, can you carry him upstairs?" Nana laughed and Iemitsu placed Teruko on the floor so he could take up his son. "Thank you, honey" she kissed the man's cheek, dangerously near his lips. He watched as the man turned red before he walked out the room with Teruko on his heels. What an idiot, he thought to himself….to be bamboozled and manipulated by such a…Nana glanced at him and the fury that she felt were conveyed in brown eyes tinted by red.

"No need for that, Nana-chan. Remember the code" he whispered and her wrath was swallowed up by her usual smile. She may not like what was happening, but she held enough honour and respect for the code, that she obeyed.

"I should finish dinner~" she sang and got back behind the stove while he continued to smile.

"Let's see what is stronger, his will to survive or his cowardice" he whispered and he had to dodge yet another knife that was directed his way.

* * *

*Please note that the genkan is the traditional entryway where people often take off their shoes. Google it if you still don't understand.

*Daifuku is a traditional Japanese sweet. Look it up.

A/N: Can you all even imagine an assassin Nana?

This assassin story is not like the others. It's based on the gritty, down right disgusting side of killing people, you know, the real story of what it means to be a murderer. Yes, it's not always about showing off how strong you are, rather how much courage it takes to actually do what I know I could never do in real life.

To Zoela: XD, I'm glad

To Ryuu and Natsu: O.o that's a lot of questions, my good sir. All of which will be answered in the near future. I don't want to spoil too much of the plot. And thank you for your review.

To Sydney Jane Dale: Of course, it would be my pleasure.


	3. ChApTeR 2

ChApTeR tWo – The true meaning of fear

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR

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" _You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **William Faulkner**_

Tsuna woke up with both of his temples throbbing with pain. As his heavy eyelids lifted, his retinas burned. "Ugh….what is going on?" he murmured as he sat up. He could faintly see his posters in the far left, and he knew then that he must be in his room. The pounding in his mind grew louder as his feet touched the carpeted floor. Shadows danced across the windows as the wailing breeze caused the branches of the tree, his father was supposed to cut down, to tap against the glass. Yet another failure on his father's part. He groaned as he tried to stand but found that he was still unsteady to balance all of his weight on his wobbly legs. This must be how Bambi felt when he was born, he drily thought to himself.

"Mama?" he tried to ask but his mother didn't reply. With one step, he stumbled about his room, tripping on some of the laundry she had told him to place in his hamper. He braced himself on the wall, his chest colliding with one of his favourite anime character. "Sorry 'bout that" he mumbled to the smiling girl as he pushed himself away from the cool surface of the poster. His eyes narrowed as he looked out of his room and into the hallway. Normally the light would be on, yet the entire house seemed to be encased in darkness.

"Was there a power shortage?" he asked aloud as he slowly made his way out of his bedroom, careful not to fall over his own feet. He was rather clumsy as he was 'No Good'. He snorted at the thought. "Mama? Teruko-chan?" he called out, hoping that at least one of them would reply but he was received with only an unsympathetic silence. "Grandfather?" he begged as he fumbled down the hall, gripping onto the walls for support. His fingernails dug into the wallpaper as he treaded down the stairs, his footsteps loud in the ticking quiet. Not even the porch light was on. He turned to move into the living room.

"Father?" he asked and now he knew he was desperate. In fact, anyone would do at that moment, even his much hated father. The front of his feet caught on the edge of the carpet and when he fell, he yelled. As his nose bent under the pressure, he nearly cried. Thankfully though, he didn't. He nursed his nose as he sat up when he heard a whisper in the hush. Even his heart stopped beating as the words "ThEy MuSt AlL DiE" bellowed in the stillness. He heard the scrape of metal against wood and he knew that whoever it was must be in the kitchen. He crawled on all fours towards the doors, his breathing as boomingly loud as a clap of thunder, when something sticky slicked against the bottom of his palm. The liquid traced from his palm to his forearm as he raised the limb up to get a better view of what it was. His eyes frighteningly widened as red oozed down pale white skin.

"Bloo-…!?" he nearly cried out when a hand shot out of the darkness to cover his mouth. He reeled forward when a breath came towards the shell of his ear.

"Tsuna, it's me" someone groaned and Tsuna shakily turned around to see his father heavily leaning against the wall, clutching his lower abdomen. There were black circles under his eyes and his face looked more withdrawn and sweaty than usual. Each breath came out with a wheezing whistle. That was when he saw exactly what his father was holding in. His own blood. …. _ **but half as if to keep, The life from spilling**_ _*_ ….Tsuna snapped out of his own thoughts when he saw the rueful smile on his father's haggard face.

"We have to get you to the hospital" Tsuna quietly yelled and Iemitsu chuckled as his son tried but failed to help him. He could see that the boy was in a panic, struggling with his own self, wondering about what the hell he should do with this situation. "What happened? Who did this to you?!" Tsuna asked, his flustered eyes on him once more as he tried to reign in the blood on his own. The more the warm, sticky liquid dirtied his hands, the more he tried NOT to gag.

"I always did say…." he coughed, blood rising from his throat to his mouth and down his chin. "…that you tend to overthink things" he added as he used the sleeve of his t-shirt to wipe away the evidence that he had been stabbed.

"YoU…yOu!" the thing screeched and they both jumped as the white masked man moved in the shadows. **Oh Kami**...Oh… **Kami** ….Oh…. **Kami** …The white robes of its kimono fluttered against the floor, the fabric rustled with each movement. Tsuna nearly threw up at the sight of soft pink innards that peered from the charred, dirty line that ran across from left to right near his abdomen. Tsuna watched with horror as it jiggled when the man walked. Its head twisted from right to left, repeating the same words over and over, each syllable more deranged than the last. A strong scent of ammonia wafted in the air as Tsuna struggled to stay standing.

"Tsunayoshi" his father said, and the man's usually boisterous voice was reduced to a pained murmur. Tsuna's entire form was quivering by then. "I need you to listen to me. Listen to your Papa" his father said when Tsuna's head drooped to the side, as the phantom grew closer. "I know that all of this is a lot to take in…but I need for you to listen to me…I need you to believe in me" he whispered as he placed his bloody hands on each side of his son's face. **Click. Click. Click.** "I haven't always been the best father….I know I've made some mistakes when it came to raising you and Teruko-chan…but just this one time…I need you to do as I say. I need for you to run" he told his son as the spectre zeroed in on them. It was in no hurry as it slowly made its way towards them. Tsuna despite his fear, moved to speak up against his father's wish when Iemitsu pushed the boy behind him as a curved knife rose in the air. "Damn it…Tsuna" his father cried out as the metal ploughed into his chest.

"No!" the boy screamed as blood sprayed forth. Iemitsu grabbed onto the man, hoping to distract it long enough so that his son could escape. "Dad!" Tsuna roared as the man continuously rammed the knife into his father. With each 'schlick' of the cold metal, Iemitsu's flesh jumped and so did Tsuna.

"Go…" was the last thing his father could say to him as his life seeped away from him. Even when he was dead, the thing kept stabbing… **Thump…Thump…Thump!** Fresh tears streamed down his face as his father's limp body was dropped to the ground. Tsuna cringed as the man zoomed in on him.

"DeAtH tO yOu AlL" it droned and Tsuna caught sight of movement behind the man. Blonde pigtails. The man spun around as Teruko, who was holding her favourite lion plushie screamed at their father's corpse.

"Teruko-chan!" Tsuna yelled as he ran forward and past the chopping knife. He gathered his sister's trembling figure and ran to the living room. He could hear it scuttling in the darkness as he clung to sister as they sprinted through the kitchen. He pushed past the table and chairs, the grating of furniture against the wood screeched against his thundering heart beats. The man lunged towards them and with speed he didn't even know he had, he darted out the room. When the front door refused to open, he ran up the stairs, trying but failing to keep his sister calm. She kept frantically whispering "Tuna-kun, daddy's hurt. Tuna-kun, daddy's hurt". He lunged into his room, locking the door behind them. He heard as the man slammed against the wooden door with a loud 'THUD!'

"Teruko-chan, I need you to stay here for me, okay?" he whispered as he wrapped his little sister in his blanket. Her face was disfigured with blood. Their father's blood. He flinched before he rubbed it off her face, almost as manically like the man who was trying to kill them.

"Tuna-kun, you're frightening me" she sniffed and Tsuna stopped rubbing the woolly material over her cheeks.

"I'm sorry" he whispered as he hugged her. The sounds of the man slamming his body against the door methodically broke his mind to tiny pieces. With each 'whump!' Tsuna jolted.

"Tuna-kun, sing me Mama's lullaby" Teruko begged as she squeezed her eyes shut. He placed his hands over her little ears as he softly whispered to her the same song that their mother had sang to them since they were babies.

"Tsuna-kun?" a warm voice called from behind the door and the Sawada siblings froze. "Teruko-chan? Why is the door locked? What's going on?" his mother's voice asked.

"Mama!" Teruko shouted in glee but before she could make it to the door, Tsuna stopped her. He knew it was a trick. A horrible….evil trick. If it was really their mother, she would've seen their father's body downstairs. It was hard not to...

"You're not her!" Tsuna shouted as he slammed his fists on the door. Teruko ran away from both him and the monster as she hid under his blanket. "You're not Mama!" he hollered and the man warbled.

"DiE!" it screamed and Tsuna was thrown backwards as splintered wood burst through the room as the door broke from its hinges. Tsuna lay in a bloodied heap as the thing stepped inside.

"T…e..r…u..ko" Tsuna gasped as a particular piece of wood found comfort in his right lung. He had broken his nose, his leg and his arm already, but no pain could compare to the agony that he was currently in. No beating he had received from the bullies could measure up to the soreness that he felt at that time. Teruko thrashed around, screamed, begged, cried and pleaded as the man grabbed hold of one of her pigtails. He kept shouting for his limbs to move, but they wouldn't. "Ta…ke Me…" he whispered and the thing stopped. "N….o…t….he…r…..me…" he gasped as blood pooled out of his mouth.

"YoU?" it moaned, the white eyes stuck to Tsuna's dying ones. Teruko scrambled away as the thing dropped its hand away from her hair. It yowled as it drew closer to Tsuna while Teruko sobbed on his bed.

"Me…..N…ot…..h…er" Tsuna told it as it dropped to its knees in front of Tsuna, the slosh licked, grey hands on his face. As it leaned towards Tsuna, the knife now as its feet, he smirked despite the hurt. With a frail arm, he took up the piece of wood and drove it into the thing's head, just as it had done to their father some moments ago. Tsuna laughed as it released a high pitched scream. Maybe it wasn't as invincible as it appeared to be. "Not….Te…ruko" Tsuna whispered, taking one last glance at his little sister. The world may be cruel…he may hate a lot of people and things about it…..but Teruko was more important than all of that. She was the one good thing in his life and he would protect her at all costs. "N…ot…..m…y…li…tt….le…..s…sis" he muttered to himself as all the energy drained from his broken body. "…Te-…" was left on his lips as he succumbed himself to the oblivion that awaited him.

* * *

"…-ruko!" he shouted. His body surged as his regained consciousness. He could feel a soothing hand on his clammy forehead, but he ignored everything as he focused on the anxiety. It was misty as it washed over him like a bucket of ice water. It was all a dream…No it wasn't….it was too real….too…..Tsuna turned his head to see his grandfather observing him with hooded eyes. They had placed a chair in his room, in one of the corners near the head of his bed. Before he could say anything his brown eyes looked past his grandfather to see that streams of sunlight snuck past his curtains. It was already morning. His grandfather who had seen him make such an observation, cocked an eyebrow upward. Tsuna on the other hand, just stared at his hands. He should've known it wasn't real….but how could he, when he was too scared to think straight or logical? However, he should've taken note of the fact that neither his grandfather nor his mother was present when he was subjected to that horror.

"Tuna-kun!" a joyful voice broke him out of his musings and he smiled as Teruko bounced into his room with his parents. She clambered onto his bed and placed her head on his chest. "You made me woowry" she told him with the same tone of voice their mother used on her when she stole cookies from the cupboard. He laughed and playfully nuzzled her nose with his own.

"How are you feeling?" his mother asked and he allowed the relief he felt on his face. She sat down beside them and he placed his head on her shoulder.

"A little dizzy but I'll be fine" **LiAr**. She nodded and ran a hand through his fluffy hair. Was it just him or was she more…..how should he say? Restrained?

"Teruko-chan, did you forget that Mama told us that we had to go to the market?" his father asked the little girl who Tsuna noticed was fully dressed. In fact, they all were….except Tsuna who wore his pajamas.

"Nuh uh!" Teruko said as she jumped down from the bed, and shot their grandfather a shy smile before she moved to her father who plucked her up from the ground. "To the market!" she said pointing forward and they smiled as the two blondes left the room.

"What was that?" Tsuna asked without looking at the remaining two adults in his room. He knew….HE KNEW….that his grandfather had something to do with that nightmare.

"I think it's time for some explanations, don't you think so, Nana-chan?" his grandfather asked as he rose from his seat. When Tsuna looked at his mother, his back slammed against the headboard. That woman…..the one sitting on his bed….it wasn't his Mama…..it couldn't be….she was too…..No….The woman who was wearing his mother's face kept her head bowed but even Tsuna could see the differences between the two. Her eyes were too probing, all knowing…all seeing…her lips which were always used to smile were now arched downwards in an unforgiving frown, and the darkness that he had encountered in his nightmare overshadowed the woman's face like the beating wings of a million moths. She was even as scary as the masked man.

"It's time you knew the truth" the woman who looked like his mother said with a harsh voice, the same one that had once lovingly called out to him _Tsuna-kun, Tsuna-kun_! When she stood up, the figures of both the woman and his grandfather loomed above him as he quaked in his sheets. "It's time you knew about your family" she whispered and Tsuna screamed as his grandfather took out the white kabuki mask.

* * *

*Out, Out – Robert Frost. It is a poem about…nah, you google it.


	4. ChApTeR 3

ChApTeR tHrEe – What lies in front of the truth?

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it

* * *

" _The truth is rarely pure and never simple."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Oscar Wilde**_ _,_ _ **The Importance of Being Earnest**_

"This…isn't happening" Tsuna gasped as he ran to the door. He had just gone through what was easily the worst night of his life only for his mother to not be his mother, for his grandfather to try and kill him! (Which he was still unsure about)….it was too much for his little mind to comprehend. So as any child his age or any cowardly person faced with such a dilemma, he ran. He planned to escape whatever twisted reality that presented itself to Tsuna, when he fell over his own thick comforter. Not even his grandfather helped him up. In fact, the two stood above him like menacing Gods, as though ready to decree divine punishment down on him.

"You're embarrassing yourself" his grandfather said as he sat down on the chair. Tsuna detangled his legs from the comforter but remained on the floor. "Do you wish to know the truth or not?" he asked as Nana stood beside him. This was his daughter, the feared Blue Angel* of the Matsuoka clan. (The last name bears no resemblance to any real people).

"The truth? What truth?" Tsuna half asked and half yelled. "That you tried to kill me?! That the woman standing next to you is NOT my mother?!" he shrieked. He could see the flash of hurt in his daughter's eyes and he patted her hand. _I'll take care of this._

"There are many truths in this world, Tsunayoshi. The real question that I'm asking you right now, is do you wish to know the ones that we know?" he asked and Tsuna's eyes though filled with fear, narrowed a little with suspicion as well as intrigue.

"This is about your family" Tsuna said, making sure that they understood he wasn't part of whatever it was they were.

"Our family" his grandfather corrected him as he closed his hands over the head of his cane. "Your mother tells me that you like to read a lot, even books written in English" he said and Tsuna braced his back along the edge of his bed.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked as his eyes glanced at the many books that lined his bookshelf.

"Have you ever read about the 'shinobi' that existed in our history?" he asked and Tsuna turned to him. "The elusive assassins that served in the shadows?" he followed up and Tsuna's stomach stirred with distress. He didn't like where this was heading.

"What do you mean like in that kids' show, the one where they can spew fire from their mouths or something? With that one orange kid in it?" Tsuna snorted and for the first time, he saw agitation in his grandfather's normally calm face.

"I'm not referring to that nonsense" his grandfather tersely said. (How dare you Pop pop?) He pursed his lips in a taut line. His grandson was better than they all thought. "I'm referring to real history. To real shinobi or Ninja if you would like to call them that" he added.

"And yet what you call real, some call myth" Tsuna retorted and he could see the tight smile on the man's face.

"Seems that the boy has a mouth on him, Nana" his grandfather said and his mother or rather the woman who looked like his mother but wasn't, chuckled.

"What does that have to do with what is going on right now….?" Tsuna said and his mouth snapped open. "No…" he whispered and his grandfather's smile turned sadistic.

"Before you make any assumptions or belt out any accusations, let me give a little lesson about the history of our clan, about the emergence of 'shinobi'"* his grandfather said as he leaned forward a little, ready to bring the founder of their clan to life through his tale.

* * *

 _During the Asuka era, there had been talk of a wandering ronin. A rumoured man who unlike most master less samurai, refused to throw away his pride by committing unlawful acts such as banditry or even murder. Some whispered that the man had travelled from Heian-kyo (Kyoto) others said that he came from Osaka to Iga. He was a man who lived by the sword, who served to protect those around him._

 _When he travelled to Iga, he had taken up work in one of the theatres, and had taken up the mask instead of his sword. But unknown to most, the man had been looking for someone in particular. Someone to help him with his revenge, for you see his master had been killed in front of him and in spite, the killer had allowed him to live. An unforgiveable act for a samurai, for a man. He had heard somewhere on his travels about a strange man, about a master of arts that were scarcely seen in the land, a Shina (no offense to all Chinese readers)* man whose strength revealed even the best samurai._

 _The desperation forced him to find the man, and when he did, he was not disappointed. Even before he could raise his sword, the man had already won the battle he had proposed himself. The man with a completely bald head, who preached the very spiritualism that had now started to filter in the land, was the very person he was looking for. The man, who had always been filled with pride, dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "I beg you….make me your apprentice!" he pleaded. The man who normally would not take anyone under his wing, found pity on the beseeching young man._

 _"Very well, young one" the man replied and he chuckled at the shock in his eyes. "But before I can teach you all that I know, are you willing to die first?" he asked._

* * *

Tsuna frowned. His grandfather had stopped speaking, and chose to study his face. "What do you mean die first?" he asked when his cursed curiosity won over him.

"What do you know about samurai?" his grandfather asked and Tsuna arched an eyebrow.

"They lived by the bushido" Tsuna replied and his grandfather nodded. He had asked many the same question but Tsuna was the first to say such a reply.

"Nana-chan, your son is brilliant" he said and Tsuna despite everything, blushed at the praise. Nana smirked, the pride glistening through her lethal eyes. "But you're right. They lived by the bushido. But what, my dear grandson is the bushido?" he asked.

"It was "the way of the warrior", the code of honour they should always keep until they died" Tsuna said and his grandfather nodded.

"Exactly. This bushido was ingrained in the young man who begged the master to teach him. What he didn't know was that what he wanted to learn, would go against everything he believed in as a samurai and that was why he had to die first" his grandfather said.

"You mean figuratively" Tsuna said and his grandfather nodded. He tried to wrap his mind around all of the information he had been provided, when he frowned. "But how did this master planned to kill off his 'samurai' self?" he asked.

"Through an initiation phase" his grandfather said and sweat dribbled down his brow. "There are three tests in this initiation phase" he continued as he stood up. He could see his grandson connecting the dots in his head as the white kabuki mask in his hand glowed in the light. "The first test was to examine the man's courage, the way through which the man could shed his weaker skin" he said as he dropped the mask on his grandson's lap. The boy squawked and threw the thing away from him as though it burned him.

"That…..when you threatened me on the street with Kyoko-chan…the daifuku…..the nightmare…it was a test….wasn't it?" Tsuna puffed and his grandfather nodded.

"The very first test of the initiation phase" his grandfather said as he looked down at the boy. "Which you passed by the way" he added with an upward curve of a smile.

"Do you think I care about that?!" Tsuna shouted as he shot up to his legs. His pupils wide blown with fear, clutching onto the strands of his hair as though trying to keep his sanity in check.

"When I approached you on the street that was to see if you would be able to sense my presence…." the grandfather said, approaching him while Tsuna scampered away. "….when I pushed my bloodlust onto you and you placed yourself in front of your female friend so as to protect her, I knew then that you would be ready for the second half of the first test" his grandfather finished.

"I don't want any part of this!" the ten year old shouted at the top of his lungs, uncaring that the people next door could hear him.

"Whether you like it or not, you're already part of this" Nana said and Tsuna covered his eyes as tears travelled down his cheeks.

"The second half of the first test had to do with the daifuku" his grandfather said to him as he picked up the discarded mask. "We….I placed a special herb in them. One that creates hallucinations" he told him.

"You…..drugged me?!" the boy cried out.

"In a matter of saying, yes" his grandfather said as he stood in front of the window before he drew back the curtains. The boy hissed as the sunlight flooded into the room. "Following in the footsteps of our founder, we made sure that all potential candidates had to undergo the three initiation tests. These tests would be challenges that when passed, would create a new sense of freedom and power for our kinsmen. It was designed from the start to test courage, so the initiates would discover who they really were. So that they would see what they really are capable of" the man explained but Tsuna didn't want to listen. He walked towards the boy and placed his hand on his hair. The boy flinched but allowed his grandfather's touch. "The herb was meant to challenge you. It was either you defeated whatever hallucination it wrought or you died" he added and Tsuna shuddered back.

"You mean….that herb or drug or whatever it is….could've killed me?" Tsuna whispered and Nana was the one who nodded.

"What did you see, Tsuna-kun?" Nana asked and Tsuna used his knuckles to wipe away the wetness from his cheeks. Images of the nightmare tried to squirm in his brain but he immediately shut them down.

"That mask thing, but it was wearing a white kimono. It tried to kill me and Teruko….it succeeded with father though" Tsuna whispered, agonizingly clasping his hair.

"I see" his grandfather said watching as the boy started to uncontrollably shiver when he looked up at them both.

"There's one thing I don't understand" Tsuna said but then stopped himself, afraid of the answer they were going to give him. "Seeing as I passed the first test….does that mean I have no other choice but to be a part of whatever this is?" he asked.

"You do have a choice" his grandfather said, as he found himself in front of the window again. He could see Iemitsu and Teruko walking down the street, already back from the market. "You can continue to the second test…" he paused, watching the happy faces of the ignorant man and little girl. He was a little remorseful that Tsuna would no longer be able to share such an idyllic life but he knew that Tsuna was meant for so much more. He was Matsuoka despite his last name of Sawada. The boy had proved that to them all. He was right in choosing Tsuna as his heir just as Nono chose Teruko as his. "….or we erase your memory of all of this" he finished and he could see that his daughter was surprised at his given ultimatum. It was usually along the lines of "You do the test or die". Tsuna sighed in relief but he could see that the boy was torn about his decision. "Nana-chan, they're back" he spoke to his daughter who nodded. She knew the true meaning of such a sentence. _Give us a little more time_.

"See you downstairs, Tsuna-kun" Nana whispered and Tsuna watched as his 'Mama' returned to them once more.

"Wait!" he shouted and the woman smiled at him with a gentle face. "Does he know about this?" he asked.

"There is no reason for Iemitsu-kun to know" Nana said to him and Tsuna looked away. He could hear the underlying threat in her words. "Their world is different from our own" she added.

"Are you really my Mama?" he asked and he was right to. This woman was different from the mother he grew up with, the one who nursed him when he was just a babe, the one who held him when he had nightmares or when he couldn't sleep because of thunderstorms, or bandaged his wounds when the bullies ganged up on him. Nana bent down to place a kiss on his forehead.

"Of course I am, Tsuna-kun~" Nana hummed and twirled out of the room. Tsuna who didn't want to believe any of it, buried his face on his knees.

"Now that you know some truth of our world, what do you plan to do, Tsuna-kun?" his grandfather asked.

"I…..don't know" he rasped. His grandfather understood how devastating it was for such a young boy.

"Let me ask you one thing, Tsuna-kun. When you defeated whatever it is you saw, how did you feel?" he asked, and Tsuna tiredly rolled his eyes.

"I felt relieved….and a little happy" Tsuna confessed and his grandfather chuckled.

"Do you think you would find that same happiness if you remained as is?" he asked and when Tsuna couldn't answer him, he took that as his cue to leave. "We'll be waiting for your answer by this evening" he said before he left. The boy would need time to think about the decision he had to make.

* * *

*I'm actually thinking of the Blue Dragon the sea slug that is often referred to as the Blue Angel of the Sea or something like that. It's quite beautiful but deadly.

*I would like to say that all the 'history' mentioned in this fanfic was based on half-truth lies and such, it's not real…it's fantasy. So please….if you see any inconsistencies, ignore them.

*Shina (word) used in history to refer to Chinese people. Went out of disuse after the Second World War, is seen as derogatory term now.


	5. ChApTeR 4

ChApTeR fOuR – How do I decide? What should I do?

Disclaimer

* * *

" _Crying is all right in its way while it lasts. But you have to stop sooner or later, and then you still have to decide what to do."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **C.S. Lewis**_ _,_ _ **The Silver Chair**_

It took Tsuna almost two hours before he finally left his room. As he walked down the stairs, the framed memoirs from his childhood caught his gaze. He looked at one picture in particular, one when he was around Teruko's age, with his mother's arms around his shoulders, her chin on his head as they smiled at the camera. He remembered when they took that picture. He was feeling down that his father had cancelled on them AGAIN, so his mother decided to take him out to the carnival that came to their little town that day. It was really fun. Just the two of them. "What's wrong with you?" his father asked and Tsuna turned to see the man looking at him with an unreadable expression. It was the first time in years since the man actually initiated a conversation between the two of them. Ironically though, when Tsuna finally got the one thing he wanted from his father, his attention, he didn't want it.

"Reminiscing" Tsuna said, his voice hoarse from all the crying he had done upstairs. He had screamed into his pillow for half an hour straight.

"Huh…you sound kinda funny. Puberty hit already?" his father asked with a cheesy grin on his face. Tsuna rolled his eyes. The hate he had for his father had evaporated that night when he witnessed his 'death'. Sort of…Maybe…Probably?

"What's going on?" his father followed up and Tsuna whirled his head towards him. "Come on, even I can see that something's wrong with you, Tsuna" his father said and he reached out his hand to ruffle his head as he often did when he was little, but the limb stopped in mid-air at Tsuna's gaze. Iemitsu released an embarrassed cough before he retracted his hand away from his son.

"I just….never mind" Tsuna said and Iemitsu frowned. He could see that Tsuna was stressed out, the bags under his eyes were evidence enough.

"Maybe-…." Iemitsu was saying when Teruko wobbled towards them. His attention already had been swept away by the little girl.

"Yeah" Tsuna sighed as he walked away. When Iemitsu had finally realized that he had forgotten about his son, the boy had already left.

* * *

When Tsuna entered the kitchen, his mother was sipping a cup of chamomile tea while his grandfather had a cup of green tea nestled in his hands. The two seemed to have been speaking when Tsuna entered, though the conversation ceased once the boy sat down. They saw how he treated them warily. "Would you like something to eat, Tsuna-kun?" his mother asked as she brought her cup to her lips, watching him with careful eyes.

"No thanks" he said with a frown. His grandfather took a big gulp of his steaming hot tea without so much of a flinch.

"You sure took your time getting down here, Tsuna-kun" his grandfather said as he placed the cup on the table. Tsuna didn't reply. The three sat in a tense silence for a while, before he decided to break it.

"I called Kyoko-chan. I'm going over to her house" Tsuna said while he played with his fingers.

"You do know what will happen if you include her in all of this, right?" his grandfather asked as his black eyes piercingly held him down. Tsuna resisted the urge to grimace and just nodded.

"I don't even want to include myself in all of this, of course I won't tell her" Tsuna said as he quickly got up from his seat. "So, can I?" he asked his mother.

"Of course you can!" the woman chirped and Tsuna couldn't find it in himself to look at her. Now that he accepted that he came from a family of killers, the betrayal, left him with a raw hurt. How could his mother deceive them all? How could she pretend to be that warm, loving…..Tsuna shook his head as he walked off. "Tsuna-kun" she called and the happiness from her voice drained only for a shrewdness to remain. "Be careful" she told him as goose bumps rose on his skin.

"Yes" he said and ran out of the room as fast as he could.

* * *

Tsuna walked down the street, his head bowed. He could hear people dashing around him, trying to get their early Christmas shopping done, families holding hands together, children his age laughing and playing together, while Tsuna walked alone. He felt lost even though he knew exactly where he was going. He had taken the long route to Kyoko's house so he could clear his head a bit. He thought that the cold air would help, but if anything, it made things worse. His thoughts were murkier than before as his mind replayed all the events of last night and that morning. His family were killers and they wanted him to be a killer too. "I can't even…." Tsuna was saying aloud when a kid ran into his legs. He looked down at the boy who seemed to be Teruko's age. "Are you okay?" he asked as he stooped down. The boy with one of the friendliest smiles he had ever seen, nodded.

"Takeshi-kun, where are you?!" a woman shouted in a panic and the little boy smiled at Tsuna before he ran off to meet his mother. Tsuna watched the two as they interacted and when the mother had looked up with a grateful grin on her face, he knew the boy must have told her about him. She waved at Tsuna who awkwardly returned the gesture and Tsuna watched as they walked off. They reminded him of his days with his own mother. Days of falling down (which he never seemed to outgrow) and soothing kisses. While his father was never around, his mother was always there for him. _Yet….all of it was a lie…._ Tsuna sighed again and snuggling into his scarf, he decided that it was time he got to Kyoko's.

* * *

"When you called me crying, you had me worried" Kyoko said to him as soon as he knocked on her door. He sheepishly smiled before she hugged him. "Don't scare me like that idiot" she muttered in his jacket. He knew he was an hour late in arriving at her house, and he knew that she was indeed worried. She pulled away and before he could notice, she wiped her face. "Come on in. Dad is at the supermarket and Mom is making us lunch" she said as she pulled him inside. As he took off his jacket, Kyoko's little brother, ran towards them.

"Onee-san's friend!" the boy said as he gave the air a few jabs. "Fight me!" he shouted and before he could attack Tsuna, Kyoko stopped him with just a hand on his head.

"I see that he's still in love with Rocky" Tsuna chuckled and Kyoko rolled her eyes at him as she gave Ryohei a little pat on his bum.

"I curse the day that Dad brought home the DVD" Kyoko ruefully said before she looked down at her brother. "What did I say about attacking people?" she asked him and he pouted.

"Not to" Ryohei said as he kicked his feet a little. Kyoko ruffled his head and he beamed at her.

"Good boy, now go back and watch your show" Kyoko said and they watched as the boy ran off, shouting about extreme Digimon was.

"He's energetic as ever" Tsuna commented and Kyoko snorted. "Mrs. Sasagawa" he immediately said as he bowed. The woman who held the same caring eyes as her daughter, politely smiled at the boy.

"Tsuna-kun, it's so nice to see you" the woman wearing the very pink, frilly apron over her clothes said. She moved from behind the counter and kissed his cheek. Kyoko laughed at the blush on her best friend's face. "If you don't mind, I'm making curry" she added as she returned to her original spot.

"Anything is fine, Mrs. Sasagawa" Tsuna said and the woman chuckled as she resumed her task of cutting vegetables.

"Come on" Kyoko said tugging his hand and he followed her into the living room, where Ryohei was shouting with one of the characters on the television. "So, what's wrong?" she bluntly asked. Ryohei didn't even seem to notice their presence.

"I had a bad dream last night" Tsuna lamely said. He had been mulling over what he should tell her without telling her. What should he say, um, hey Kyoko did you know that my mother is from a family of shinobi and they want me to be part of their clan? Yeah, Tsuna wouldn't have believed him either.

"And…?" Kyoko asked as she lazily lounged on the floor. "Come on, I know there's more to this than just a bad dream" she added as she scrutinized Tsuna.

"Don't you even want to know about it was about?" Tsuna asked and Kyoko rolled on her stomach.

"Tell me" she demanded and Tsuna rolled his eyes at her.

"I dreamed that someone….no something…killed my dad" he whispered and her eyes dramatically grew wider.

"What?!" she yelled and he cringed. Ryohei's head snapped in their direction. "Sorry about that, Ryo-kun" she apologized. The boy narrowed his eyes before he continued watching his favourite television show. She sat up and moved closer to him. "You dreamed that your father was killed?" she asked him, though her eyes were on Ryohei, just to see that he wasn't listening to them.

"Yeah" Tsuna breathed out and lay down on the floor, as he watched the ceiling. "That's not even the worst part. It turned on me and Teruko-chan" he murmured and Kyoko who was leaning on her propped elbow, glumly shook her head.

"Wow" she said as she dropped herself besides him, their shoulders brushing against each other. "What happened after that?" she asked him, her hands crossed on her belly.

"We ran to my room but it wasn't enough. It broke down the door" he said, flashes of the nightmare started to haunt him. Kyoko watched as he covered his eyes with unstable hands.

"It's okay" she said and Tsuna released short breaths as though he was trying to calm himself. He kept telling himself that he cried enough….

"When it entered my room, it went for Teruko. I was too damaged to do anything so I told it to take me instead" Tsuna said and Kyoko ran relaxing circles on his arm. "When it was close enough, I took a piece of wood and stabbed it in the head before I woke up" he explained and he looked at her through the cracks that his fingers made. "It just felt so real" he told her. Kyoko ran her hand through his hair, something her own mother did for her whenever she was sad and Tsuna leaned into the touch. "I just….it was too real" he repeated before his emotional walls broke down. He didn't even care that she had to hold onto to him again as he cried. All that he needed, Kyoko silently gave to him.

"It's going to be fine" she whispered to him and thanked her mother who carried Ryohei out of the room so they could be alone for a while.

* * *

When he gotten a grip of himself, Kyoko's dad returned from the supermarket. He was an older version of Ryohei, in fact Tsuna always joked and said that when Ryohei grew up, he would look just like his father. "Honey, I'm home!" the man loudly pronounced as he stormed into the house. His already excited eyes grew more excited at the sight of Tsuna. "Tsunayoshi!" the man warmly greeted and without even asking, the man grabbed up Tsuna in a hug. "It's been some time, hasn't it?!" he laughed as he placed the boy back onto the floor. Tsuna looked up at the muscular man and bowed.

"Hello, Mr. Sasagawa" Tsuna said and Kyoko's father just gave him a hearty laugh as well as a rough pat on the back.

"Tsunayoshi is as stiff as ever, eh Kyoko-chan?" he asked his daughter who he also hugged. Kyoko giggled.

"I don't think he'll change, dad. He can't help it" Kyoko said as Ryohei crowded their father. Despite the fact that it wasn't an insult, Tsuna felt offended. Not because of the way she said it, rather because it was true. Tsuna tried to force the bile down his throat, turning his attention back on the Sasagawa family. The man playfully mirrored the jabbing motion Ryohei performed before he pulled the boy in his arms.

"Ah, you're home, dear" Kyoko's mother said as she walked in, untying the apron from her waist. She kissed her husband and smiled as her daughter as well as Tsuna blushed.

"That's gross" Kyoko said and her father just pulled her in the family hug. Tsuna stood on the side line, watching them from a far, wondering about his own situation. Despite the fact that his mother lied to him….the truth was….she did it to protect him, to protect them. But even if he decided to join the family, the strength they were offering, would he want it? Yes he hated how weak he was right now, but should he sacrifice normality for strength? When the time came, would he be able to kill? To take up a knife and run it through a living and beating heart? Would he be able to lie like his mother? To pretend? Would he be able to live with the price of living such a life? Should he just continue to live as he was? Weak and 'Dame?' Tsuna hadn't even noticed that Kyoko's father, mother and brother had left the room, until Kyoko called out to him. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"If you were given the chance to change, would you?" he asked her and despite the odd question, Kyoko smiled.

"I think we all would" Kyoko said and he looked down at his feet. "Tsuna-kun, even if I said that, it really doesn't matter, you know that right? Your decision, whatever it may be, all depends on you. Rely on this, rather than this" she said pointing to his heart and then this brain. Tsuna felt his throat tighten with the mess of emotions he felt. "Come on, let's go eat" she pulled him and he allowed her to. Maybe she was right….

* * *

When Tsuna got home, just as he was taking off his jacket, sharp metal was threateningly pressed under his neck, right above his Adam's apple. "Where are they?" the man whispered and when Tsuna started to shake, he laughed. "I can't believe that the infamous-…" he was saying when something shiny fired through the air. The blade nicked Tsuna's ear before it implanted itself in the man's nose all the way to the back of his cranium. **Schlick! Thud!** A geyser of warm crimson drenched Tsuna, the rusty liquid flowed from his hair, down his forehead, to his nose, lips and cheeks. His mouth opened but not even a rumour of a shriek could leave his throat. It was when he looked up and saw his mother's face, did he find his voice again. And boy did he scream.

* * *

A/N: So yeah….Takeshi and Ryohei has emerged and I made Ryohei the younger between himself and Kyoko. Because if I left him as the oldest out of the two, when it was time for him to become the Sun Guardian, then he would be….too old. And I didn't want him to be as old as Kyoko and Tsuna was, so I made him as young as Teruko is.

More explanations are coming.


	6. ChApTeR 5

ChApTeR fIvE – Make your choice

Disclaimer: KHR does not belong to me nor will it ever

* * *

" _The right choice is hardly ever the easy choice."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Rick Riordan**_ _,_ _ **The Throne of Fire**_

Tsuna's chest burned as he dry heaved on nothing but air. His fingers were numb and his face felt hot as he took a step forward. He didn't know whether to sit down or to run. His legs wobbled and seized up. His grandfather caught him just as his knees buckled. "Let…" he was saying when he caught sight of his hands clutching on his grandfather's kimono. Crimson sticking to soft blue material sent his head spinning.

"I need you to stay calm, Tsuna-kun" the man murmured but Tsuna wouldn't hear it. He tore out of his grasp and staggered forward. His shins slammed against the steps. "You need to remain…" his grandfather was saying as Tsuna wailed. He was going to glare at the older man when he saw the dead man's face forever frozen in a distraught cry. Eyes rolled back in his head, all white and gaping. His nose red and fleshy, a knife where his nose once was. Shredded skin. Muscles and bones on display.

"Kam….UGH" Tsuna threw up right where he stood, his hands flat against the surface of the wall. He felt someone rubbing his back but all his concentration was on the acid and gravel in his throat.

"Tsuna-kun" his mother said when the last remnants of his stomach spewed out of his mouth. Her voice only served to remind him of the Shinigami he had seen some moments ago, the woman who didn't hesitate in killing someone. He recoiled from her touch and treaded up the stairs. "Tsuna-kun!" she shouted at him but he continued forward without looking back.

"Leave him. We need to clean this up before Iemitsu and Teruko comes back" her father said whilst taking out his cell phone. "We're going to need Shinsuke's help" he muttered and dialled the number of the one man he knew who would get the job done.

* * *

Tsuna ran into the bathroom without bothering to take off his clothes. He hurriedly pushed his way into the shower and flipped the switch on. His fingertips grazed against the tiles, leaving red trails in his wake. "Get it off" he whispered to himself as he tore his t-shirt off of his body. "Get it off" he repeated as he scrabbled at the buttons on his pants, but his hands wouldn't stop shaking so he left them. When he saw a piece of his reflection on the sliding door, he scrubbed his head, painfully tugging at the roots of his hair. His knuckles dug into his skin as the hot water poured down on him. "Get it off…" he fanatically hissed as his fingernails scraped against his skin, angry welts ran down his neck. "GET IT OFF!" he sobbed as he slid to the wet floor, his skin flushed with the steaming water. He banged the back of his head against the wall and closed his eyes. "Just get it off" he begged but no one could hear his desperate plea especially as he passed out where he sat.

* * *

When Tsuna woke up again, the night had already bled into day and he was back in his room, on his bed. His neck, arms and chest was wrapped in white bandages. "You gave us quite the scare" his grandfather said but Tsuna didn't say anything. It felt like deja vu, seeing the man sitting on the chair in the corner. "When I found you unconscious in the shower, let's just say you nearly gave your mother a heart attack" he chuckled.

"How can you pretend like any of this is okay?!" Tsuna shouted as he clutched at his sheets. His grandfather's' mouth closed. "This isn't normal. You're not normal" he venomously released at him.

"I was never normal, nor was I given the chance" his grandfather said, and for a fraction of a second, he swore he heard regret. Tsuna kept quiet, glaring at his comforter with unshed tears. "The same goes for your mother" he added, watching as Nana said goodbye to her husband who was leaving for another one of those trips of his. He wasn't even concerned when he heard that Tsuna had fainted again (another lie Nana had told him) when he got back from the mall with Teruko. (He had insisted he buy something for his daughter before he left so he went with her to the mall to get her something). "When we were even younger than you were, we were given the same choice. In fact…" he said as he pulled the curtains close before he sat back down. "…when I was just seven years old, for my first initiation test, my old man placed a rusty knife in my hand and then locked me in a cage with another kid. He told me that if I wanted to survive, all I had to do was kill the girl who I grew up with, my very first friend" he finished, a rue smile playing on his lips. He could still remember that day. Back then, he was as wimpy as his grandson was.

"Your…..friend? You had to kill your friend?" Tsuna asked, the tears falling on the bed.

"Your mother never had it easy as you did either. For her first test, she had to kill her friend as well. Her dog, Yoshi" his grandfather said. Nana never quite forgave him for making her kill the husky.

"I can't do this" Tsuna said as he lay back down, pulling the covers over his head. "I'm not like you two. I'm….not a killer" he whispered, his back now turned to his grandfather.

"There's more to this than just killing, Tsuna-kun. I thought that you would understand that by now" his grandfather said.

"She killed a man!" Tsuna shouted as he threw the covers off the bed. "She killed him" he hissed.

"If she didn't, what do you think he would've done with you? He was ready to kill you to gain an upper hand on us, don't you know that? She protected you with her blade" his grandfather said and Tsuna stubbornly looked at the door, biting down on his teeth. He hated that his grandfather was right.

"I understand. Swear to Kami I don't want to….but I understand" Tsuna softly said as he sniffed.

"So then why are you still fighting against this? Why are you behaving like this is the worst thing that could happen to you?" his grandfather asked. Tsuna couldn't even help the guttural laugh.

"You're serious right now?" Tsuna asked as he regarded at his bandaged arms that were lined with self-inflicted wounds. "You're talking about murder" he whispered with a condescending tone. "When was murder ever good?" he asked.

"If it means saving you and Teruko-chan" his grandfather told him and Tsuna glanced at him. "Knowing what you know now about us, do you really think we wouldn't have enemies? People who want to kill us and wouldn't hesitate to use you two children to get to us? Like that man tried to do last night?" he asked and Tsuna jumped when he slammed his cane on the floor. "I'm going to give you until mid-day until you give me your answer" he said.

"I don't want-…" Tsuna was going to shout but the man stopped him.

"Before you make your decision, let me ask you something. If one day when your mother and I aren't around, if you remain as 'Dame-Tsuna', do you think you would be able to protect your little sister?" he threw out at him. Tsuna couldn't even look him in the eyes, all he could do was curl into himself, trying but failing to stifle body rattling sobs. "Think about it" he whispered before he walked away.

* * *

"Tuna-kun?" he could hear Teruko calling from his locked door. After his grandfather left, he barricaded himself in his room. He wanted to shut out everyone around him and shut himself in a much needed seclusion. If he was going to make a decision, he would need time. "Tuna-kun" the girl whined and Tsuna who was sitting on the ground, in the corner of his room with his comforter over his head, tried not to let her voice get to him.

"Come on, Teruko-chan. Your Aniki needs some time" he could hear his mother say to her before they both moved away from behind his door. He rocked a little on his heels, sticking his index fingers in his ears in an attempt to block out all sound. He could still hear the sound of the knife kneading through flesh, the sound of the man's last gasp before he died…Teruko's scream…..he could feel the blood on his hand…on his face…in his mouth…Tsuna gagged and shoved a clenched fist in his mouth to stop the vomit. _Would you be able to protect her?_ _**Tuna-kun, help**_ _!_ Tsuna squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the comforter over his head more.

"I don't know!" Tsuna shouted until his lungs hurt and his vision blurred as his eyelashes clumped together. The image of Teruko's smiling face scorched behind his eyelids before it was replaced with the bloodied Teruko he had tried to save in his drug induced hallucination. _Would Dame Tsuna be able to save her?_ He harshly swallowed and he looked at the closed door. "No, I wouldn't" he came to a nasty realization that knocked all the wind from his lungs. "I wouldn't be able to save her" he whispered to himself as he looked down at hands and he sneered at how weak they were. "I can't do anything" he laughed, his face twisted with an insane hilarity. It seemed as though his rationality finally broke under the stress, leaving the ten year old gasping for air as he laughed at his insecurities like it was a joke.

It was only when he saw the shuffling of his mother's feet from under his door and a light knock, did he finally stop. He had to grab onto the last thread of his sanity before he turned completely mad.

"If you're hungry, I made you a sandwich Tsuna-kun" she said and when he didn't say anything, she continued "If you don't eat something, you'll get sick again".

"Go AWAY!" he yelled when all he could see was her face. Those deadly eyes….the sick glee when her knife had struck its target…..

"Oh, okay" his mother's voice whispered and he forced the guilt from hearing her hurt, in the back of his mind along with the rest of unwanted memories. "Just don't hurt yourself, Tsuna-kun. Teruko-chan is worried about you, we all are" she muttered and Tsuna frowned.

"Teruko" he thought to himself. Oh yeah. His little sister. The only one he could trust in his family. The one who needed to be protected. The one who he HAD to protect. "Now isn't the time to lose your mind, you idiot" he chided himself as he threw the comforter off of his head. "It's time you made a choice" he whispered.

* * *

When Tsuna finally got a grip on himself once more and came to a decision, he met his grandfather at the bottom of the staircase. "I'll do it" he said and the older man cocked an eyebrow upwards at his declaration. "I'll do the second test" he added and Nana who peeked in on them, tried not to show how proud she was of him.

"Well my dearest, grandson, we have lots to speak about" he said and directed the boy to the living room. Tsuna tried not to fidget as he sat down on the couch, his leg bouncing up and down. "You should eat something" his grandfather said nudging his head in the direction of the plated food his mother had left for him before she went out to do some shopping with Teruko-chan. "I promise, we didn't do anything to it" he joked but all he got was a wry frown from Tsuna.

"I'm not hungry" Tsuna said and when his stomach released a whiny, high pitched rumble, red blossomed across his cheeks. His grandfather chuckled as he watched Tsuna bashfully took up the sandwich on the plate. He took a bite and tried not to think about possible poison or drugs that could be in the bread he was eating. "Before I take the second test or whatever, tell me about the clan again" he said after he swallowed.

"It's only fair" his grandfather agreed as he sipped his orange tea before he picked up his tale where he left off.

* * *

 _"What do you mean die?" the black haired youth asked as he got up from the graveled ground, dusting his kimono._

 _"Do you even know what kind of strength you wish for?" the man asked the youth who couldn't reply. "Let me just say that it differs from your own code of honour. It's based on deception" he told him and the young samurai's eyes widened._

 _"But that goes against…." The boy was saying and the man nodded. He clenched his fists and took up his sword from his waist. This was what he wanted, this was why he went searching for someone to help avenge his master. He would not falter. He threw the sword in front of him and he could see that the man was surprised at his actions. It was a disgrace for your katana to touch the floor. "Even if I have to delve in the pits of hell, I'll follow you. I must complete my mission" he declared with fire burning in his eyes._

 _"Very well. I should warn you, there's no going back from here" the man said as he walked down the path._

 _"I would have it no other way" the boy said and bowed towards the bald monk. For his master, he would throw away his pride._

"So following the priest, he was trained in the secret arts. It was said that the priest not only personally overlooked his teaching, but he also bestowed onto him a scroll. A scroll that is similar to one you've heard of before. In simple translation, it's called Master Sun's Rules of Warfare" his grandfather explained and Tsuna almost choked.

"You mean THE Art of War?" Tsuna asked and his grandfather studied his face before he roared his head back in laughter. "What? Why are you laughing?" he mumbled.

"It's funny that a ten year old shrimp like you have heard about the Art of War, when grown men don't even know what it is about" his grandfather smirked as he regained his composure. "Where did you even hear about it?" he asked.

"The internet" Tsuna shrugged and his grandfather chuckled. "The priest who taught him, was he a Buddhist monk?" he asked and his grandfather nodded.

"He was the one who introduced the founder to the ways of espionage" he said as he looked out the window at the falling snow. Though he didn't tell Tsuna, their founder had left a series of journals that was secretly passed down to the Soke* or head master throughout the generations, just as his father passed it to him, just like he would pass it down to Tsuna in time. He knew that out of everyone, the boy would appreciate those brown stained papers that contained a history no one except the Matsuoka clan knew about.

"What about the initiation phase?" Tsuna asked.

"As the monk explained, he needed to undergo three specific initiation tests. For the first test, the founder had to walk over hot coals" his grandfather said and Tsuna's face twisted in feigned agony. "The reason why each candidate must undergo these tests, is so that this plunge they're willing to take into mystery and pain, will open a range of boundless opportunities for them. When the mind has been tossed into pandemonium, it is sometimes only then we can see whether or not we're truly strong or weak" he described to his grandson who struggled with such a concept.

"And the second test?" Tsuna asked after saying nothing for a minute.

"Face your fears" the grandfather said and Tsuna stood up before pacing around the room, the sandwich already eaten.

"My fears?" Tsuna asked and stopped. "What do you mean my fears?" he continued to question.

"When I mean face your fears, in this context it does not mean being afraid of spiders or heights" his grandfather said as Tsuna turned completely to him. "It's different than that. It's identifying your own weaknesses and fighting against them. For you my dearest grandson, it's your foolish refusal to fight back" he told him and Tsuna dropped himself on the couch once more.

"I detest the idea of violence" he admitted aloud for the first time in his short lived ten years.

"Well, Tsuna-kun, for your second test, you're going to need to fight" his grandfather said. "To be more specific, you're going to fight back those bullies" he added and Tsuna's eyes widened.

* * *

A/N: Soke can translate to either head master, grandmaster. It is a term used in martial arts to refer to the leader of a singular school or style. Or at least that is what it said when I looked it up on the internet.


	7. ChApTeR 6

ChApTeR SiX- To lose yourself (How long does it take for you to finally break?)

Disclaimer

* * *

" _Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Friedrich Nietzsche**_

The following day, found Tsuna eating breakfast with his family. He had already been dressed in his school uniform, anxiously looking at the clock as he nibbled on his toast. His grandfather was sitting next to Teruko who kept babbling on about her school and some kid named Hibari-baka, when the long hand clicked against six. "I'm leaving" he said as he stood up. His grandfather smiled at Teruko and looked at him. _We'll talk later._ "I'm off" he said as he took up his bag.

"Tuna-kun, where is Mommy's kiss?" Teruko asked and Tsuna rolled his eyes. Apparently she was going through a new phase where she called herself 'Mommy'. He walked towards her and kissed her nose. She giggled and followed up with a sloppy one of her own. "Bye bye, Tuna-kun" she beamed at him and he ruffled her hair. His mother was watching the two of them with a smile on her face but knowing what he knew now, he could see a perceptiveness in her brown eyes.

"See you later, Tsuna-kun" she said and when she moved to touch him, Tsuna manoeuvred out of her grasp.

"Yeah" he whispered and left, ignoring the image of his mother's hurtful visage.

* * *

"You look different" was the first thing Kyoko said as he met her in front of her house so they could walk to school together.

"What?" he nervously asked as she closed the gate behind her. "What are you talking about?" he added.

"You tell me" Kyoko said as they walked down the street together, their shoes crunching under the snow.

"Must be the new gel I'm using" Tsuna said running his hand through his hair. Kyoko on the other hand, was not impressed.

"Not in looks, Tsuna-kun" she said playfully elbowing him in the ribs. "I mean there's something different about you overall. You kinda have a feeling those high schoolers have, like you're more mature or something" she mumbled. Her face burned as Tsuna released a loud **'Pfftt**!" at her. "That's not funny!" she shouted at him.

"Sorry…it's just…ahaha" he said and had to run after her as she walked off. "I'm sorry" he seriously said.

"That was mean" she pouted, all traces of her embarrassment slowly receding from her face.

"It's just weird. Me? Mature? Yeah right" he snorted and Kyoko shook her head before roughly ruffling his hair. "Oi, that hurts" he added and she smiled.

"You shouldn't deride yourself like that. You're great, you know" Kyoko said and he frowned to himself. "If you weren't, then you wouldn't be Sawada Tsunayoshi, my best friend in the world" she added as she slung her arm on his shoulders. Grudgingly, they were around the same height.

"You…..I can't win with you" Tsuna whispered and Kyoko chuckled.

"I thought you knew that by now?" Kyoko coyly asked and ran off after she pinched him on the arm. While Kyoko laughed as he followed her, he couldn't help thank the heavens for his best friend.

* * *

However, from the moment they got to school, Tsuna as always receded away from Kyoko. It was already bad enough that they picked on him, he didn't want them to start to target his only friend, so he did what he always done from the moment they were friends.

In public, he would retreat into himself hoping that all the bullies would focus on Tsuna instead of Kyoko. If she was hurt…he didn't know if he could live with himself. Kyoko smiled at him, already accustomed with his weird habit, as she greeted some of her friends who called out to her. "Do you mind?" she asked as they slipped their uwabaki* on. He closed his locker and shook his head. With a quick squeeze of his hand and a secretly shared smile, he watched her walk off.

Even in kindergarten, the other kids were attracted to Kyoko and he couldn't blame them. Wherever she went, she was like a light, attracting moths to her. People were just drawn to that magnetic personality of hers.

Deciding that it was time he got to class, he walked down the lightly crowded halls, watching as people snickered his way. Whispers of 'Dame-Tsuna' were shot his way and as always, he submitted himself to the torture, hoping that the walk to his class would end soon.

However, just as he turned the corner, Tsuna's fists clenched as he saw them down the hall. _You're going to have to fight those bullies._ He watched one in particular, the largest in the group who stood at the helm, the main leader of the pack as he staggered down the hall. He was tall, even for their age, was heavy in size and had a menacing set of eyes that would often make weak guys like Tsuna wet themselves.

Tsuna watched as he purposely bumped into one of the boys and laughed as his bag fell to the ground and his books sprawled across the ground. When the boy weakly bent down to pick up his fallen books, the main bully, Eiji* (how ironic) harshly kicked the boy over. Like the mindless puppets they were, the students around them laughed while the boy sobbed. How could they find humour in such a pathetic scene? **How could weakness be funny?!**

Yet, you're standing on the side lines, doing nothing to help the boy. You're just as bad as they are, his mind snarled at him and with shame burning his cheeks, Tsuna walked away.

* * *

"Tsuna-kun?" his mother asked as soon as he opened the front door. He shrugged off his scarf and looked up when she sauntered in from the kitchen, a spatula in her hand. "Would you like something to eat?" a tender smile on her face.

"I'm not hungry" he dismissed her. He pretended that he didn't see the wounded look on her face as he took off his shoes. "Is grandfather here?" he asked.

"He's in the living room" his mother said and he didn't expect the woman to help him out of his coat. He flinched when she moved to affectionately pat his head. He watched her as she swallowed, her eyes shining with regret. "I'll just go" she whispered and he took back his jacket as she left. Shit…Why did he feel like a….the thought broken when a tiny body collided with his, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Tuna-kun!" Teruko pulled at his pants. He smiled down at her, candies in his palm. A smile lit up her face at them. "Thank you, Aniki!" she squealed before rushing out just as she came. He smiled to himself and trailed into the living room where his grandfather was, sipping on his tea as usual.

"You're early" he said as Tsuna sat down. He glanced at his Teruko who followed after her mother in the kitchen.

"Well, I need answers" Tsuna replied. His grandfather chuckled. "What exactly is the second test?" he asked.

"The second test is an answer just as much as it is you facing your fears" his grandfather said. "Let me ask, are you content with the life that you're living right now? Are you happy, Tsuna-kun?" he asked.

"I…" Tsuna said but his throat got so tight, the rest of his reply died on his lips.

"I'll be frank with you, Tsuna-kun. You hold no control over your life. You have neither the desire nor the drive to change. You're stuck in a vicious cycle, bored with your life, ready to listen to everyone BUT yourself. You're afraid of actually fighting back because you think you're not strong enough. You let those other kids bully you. You say you 'detest' violence, when in fact, I know that deep down, you're actually afraid of loving it" his grandfather said. Tsuna had his hands tightly clasped in front of his face, his teeth gnawing at his lower lip.

"Lies! I will never come to love violence!" Tsuna said, shooting up from the chair.

"You wanted to know what the second initiation test is, right?" his grandfather asked, calmly sipping his tea. "It's the answer you get when you regain control over your life. It is only when you obtain your resolve from facing your fears, will you pass the second test" he added. When black met brown, Tsuna nearly screamed out in frustration. He felt like yelling, like kicking up a fuss like little kids did, but instead he sat back down.

"This is so messed up" Tsuna whispered to himself, silently cursing everything shinobi.

* * *

Here was the thing about being bullied for most of your life. A lesson, he learnt after years of constant confidence crumbling abuse. After every punch, wedgie, wet Willy, kick, every humiliating public displays of torture, all that you were left of your hollow, weak self was to submit.

Submission was what made victims like Tsuna, appealing to bullies like Eiji. They wouldn't put up much of a fight, they would allow people like Eiji to do as they pleased. It gave them the power they always craved, the control they always wanted.

So the next day, as Eiji narrowed in on Tsuna, as he made his way towards the smaller boy, a spark of dominance trickled down his spine. "Well, well, well. If it isn't 'Dame Tsuna'" he said and everyone around them laughed.

Almost reflexively, Tsuna bowed his head. Unwanted memories filtered in. _Two or three held him down. He was kicking. He was screaming. He was begging._ _ **Please. No.**_ _PLEASE. One of them grabbed his chin, fingernails digging into his skin. Eiji laughed as he loomed closer with the poignant, crumbling, white piece of dog shi-…. "No! NOOOO!" Tsuna yelled as they forced his mouth open._ Tsuna placed a hand over his mouth, as though he could taste what they had done to him some years ago…He tried to swallow as he forced himself to look at Eiji in his eyes. His grandfather was right. It was time for him to change.

"It's just Tsuna" he said and his voice hushed the crowd to silence. What?! They couldn't believe that out of everyone present, TSUNA was the one who spoke up against Eiji.

"What did you say…?" Eiji said, stepping into Tsuna's personal space, before harshly poking him in the chest. "…Dame Tsuna?" he asked giving the smaller boy a push. Tsuna braced himself on the wall but kept his eyes on Eiji's.

"I said, it's just Tsuna" he replied but his boldness was breaking every minute.

"I dare you: Say that again" he griped as he took a step towards him.

"I said that my name is just Tsuna, short for Tsunayoshi" Tsuna said, louder this time, as adrenaline left him proud and reckless. He felt like he could do anything, be anyone in that short second. It was weird, how free he felt, how alive he was in that moment. Hell, even as Eiji's entire form overlooked his, he felt as tall as the bully was. It was exhilarating! It was addicting!

"You're going to regret this, you little freak" Eiji hissed and clenched his fist. Eiji cocked his fist back, ready to drive it into Tsuna's face, when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Young man, what did I say about fighting?" one of the teachers asked. Children peeked out of their classrooms, hoping to get a glimpse of the possible fight or Eiji's reprimand from the teacher. Eiji gritted his teeth as the teacher told him to get to the principal's office. As the teacher turned to leave with the bully, Eiji threateningly bumped Tsuna's shoulder.

"You and me, after school under Nami Bridge" he whispered. Kyoko who had seen the entire thing rushed towards Tsuna who remained rooted to the spot even after Eiji left or the children around them started to whisper about them and the fight.

"Tsuna-kun, why would you…" she was saying when Tsuna placed a shaky hand on hers, a promise dimly lit in his eyes.

"I have to do this" he said and she just sighed. Of all the stupid things her best friend did, this had to be at the top of the list.

* * *

All throughout the day, unlike the usual treatment he received from his classmates, they looked at him with pity in their eyes. Like they weren't seeing Tsuna anymore, rather an already dead boy in his place. They shook their heads every time he walked down the hall, he could hear them whispering, especially the girls, the words 'Eiji-kun, fight and he's going to die' catching Tsuna's attention. The more the day dragged on, the more he felt like his stomach would drop all the way to his feet. The anxiety had settled in the pit of his belly, every nauseating thought of fighting with Eiji made all the hairs on his hand stand on end like faithful sentinels. He bit into his fingernails, listening to his teeth as they clattered against the other. When he turned the corner, he saw Kyoko speaking to one of their teachers. When she saw him, after the teacher left, her eyes softened. "You look like Ryo-kun when our mother takes him to the dentist" she said as she crossed the distance between them.

"I wish" Tsuna said as he leaned against the window, watching the snow as it fell.

"Feel like backing out?" Kyoko asked as she leaned against the wall. "Because if you did, it wouldn't make you less…" she was saying but stopped when he spoke up.

"Do you know what it's like, looking at yourself in the mirror, but you hate what is reflected at you?" he asked as he placed a hand on his forehead.

"Yes" and the answer shocked Tsuna so much that he almost fell out the window. Kyoko laughed without any malice as she helped him. "Believe it or not, I wish that I could change parts of me like you do, Tsuna-kun" she said, crossing her legs. "We're not all perfect, you know" she added and he didn't know what to say to her. What could he say?

"So, do you think I will land even one hit?" Tsuna joked and Kyoko, despite how serious the fight to come would be, laughed.

* * *

Each step he took closer to Nami Bridge, the faster his heart thumped in his bandaged chest. "Wow, nearly everyone from school is here" Kyoko said as they approached the large crowd that were accumulated under the bridge.

"Damn, those nosy kids" Tsuna said and Kyoko laughed.

"You're a kid yourself" she said and he watched as her face hardened at the sight of Eiji who stood like an untouchable king in front of their classmates.

"So you finally made it, Dame Tsuna?" Eiji asked as the crowd parted for him. "I thought you would run like you always do" he added as he made a show of cracking his knuckles. Tsuna said nothing as they faced each other, his goons were lurking in the back of Eiji, heckling the smaller boy, throwing out insults his way. "Well, let's get this over with" he said and circled him like a lion ready to pounce on its prey.

The circle of ten year olds grew rowdier at the scent of potential blood. They were almost as vicious as sharks. Tsuna weakly placed his hands up, just as he had seen in those Rocky movies. Maybe spending a lot of time with Kyoko and her little brother would pay off. You would think that, right? WRONG.

Before Tsuna could blink, a fist crashed into his face, painfully twisting his jaw. Tsuna fell backwards from the force of the hit, but surprisingly though, it didn't feel as hurtful as he thought it would.

"Tsuna-kun, look out!" Kyoko shouted and as he was going to heed her warning, the rubber tip of Eiji's shoe tunnelled into his stomach. "Tsuna" she whispered as her best friend cried out in pain. The crowd stopped chanting, as Eiji grabbed Tsuna by his hair and lifted him off the ground. Tsuna rolled around the bloodied spit in his mouth before he threw the spittle at his face with a dry laugh. In his fit of rage Eiji curled his hands in a fist and Tsuna felt when the brutal upper cut connected.

He was thrown backwards, blood like the dead man's, spewed from his mouth. In fact, he felt a couple of his teeth grow loose in his mouth as he lay on the ground. The snow was soft though, he found himself thinking, as Eiji stalked towards him. _Fight._ A little voice in the back of his mind whispered as his body was yanked upwards. _**Your second test is to fight back against those bullies.**_ Eiji's knee hammered into his solar plexus. More blood and spit drooled down his chin as he fell to his knees. _**You say you 'detest' violence, when in fact, I know that deep down, you're actually afraid of loving it**_. He could hear his grandfather's voice through the murkiness. He could hear Kyoko shouting at him, he could hear the silence that grew over the crowd, he could faintly see the little snowflakes falling between them, and he could see his own blood splattered on the ground. That was when Eiji's face blurred into that of his own.

" **WeAk** " the other Tsuna barked as he grabbed him by the collar. Tsuna felt something violent start from his stomach before it could spread throughout the rest of his body. He could almost hear it snap to pieces: his rationality, his sanity as his heart thumped in his ears.

"Shut up!" Tsuna screamed and using his forehead, he head butted him. The other Tsuna stumbled backwards, clearly surprised as Tsuna fell to the ground. He could see Eiji in the other Tsuna's place now and it drove him even madder. He could feel a concussion fraying against the lines of his consciousness but Tsuna wasn't finished yet. Like a man possessed, he crawled towards Eiji who had yet to get up. "DiE" Tsuna continued to mumble under his breath as he straddled Eiji, his own vision momentarily turning black. But it wasn't like he needed his vision to continue his attack. Bones against bone, flesh meeting flesh.

He could feel people pulling at him, trying to get to the Eiji underneath him but he wouldn't let them. His fists, the only weapon he had, continuously pummelled at his face. "EaT sHiT" he wailed as he stuffed handfuls of snow into Eiji's mouth.

"You'll kill him!" someone yelled and before he knew, he was tossed to the side, while others restrained him.

Like light flooding through a dark room, Tsuna's vision momentarily returned. About three boys were holding him down, his face harshly buried on the ground, as people surrounded Eiji. His head buried in the snow and dirt. Through a forest of legs, he caught a glimpse of Eiji who was gasping for air, struggling to stay awake. When their eyes met, Tsuna could feel the high of his rage leaving. "You're really a freak" someone whispered and that was all he heard before his body went slack as he fainted.

* * *

*– Uwabaki refer to slippers that are worn inside. Google it

*– Eiji in English loosely translates (according to a website I found) to either 1) great peace, 2) prosperity or even 3) eternity.


	8. ChApTeR 7

ChApTeR sEvEn – Brace yourself, a change is brewing

Disclaimer: KHR does not belong to me nor will it ever

* * *

" _Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Mary Shelley**_ _,_ _ **Frankenstein**_

Tsuna woke up to the sound of low beeps and the rustling of sheets. His head was throbbing as it had been when he woke up in that hallucination and at the thought his eyelids snapped open. "Morning" his grandfather said from beside his bed. Guessing from the décor and the fact that he was wearing a paper thin gown, Tsuna knew he was in the hospital.

"Ugh, this feels familiar" Tsuna said and winced. "Everything hurts" he whined and his grandfather chuckled.

"You should be proud of that pain. You passed the second test because of it" his grandfather said and Tsuna rolled his eyes as he placed his head on the soft pillow.

"And Eiji?" he asked, glancing at the open door, watching as some nurses walked past his room.

"He's alive, that's all you need to know" his grandfather said, his eyes glossing over Tsuna's face. The boy was supporting a nasty black eye and there were cuts and bruises running from his forehead to his lips. He was expecting the boy to cause another fit or even break down but Tsuna's head remained pressed against the cool surface of the pillow. He could see a sort of resignation in those brown eyes of his, and it was slightly more disturbing than the usual fear. "You're surprisingly quiet" he added.

"I nearly killed him, what is there to say?" Tsuna said with a tired groan. His body was reeling in the aftershocks of the fight, while his mind was paralysed to what had happened for the last few days. Recently he learnt that he came from a family that killed people for a living, his mother wasn't who she pretended to be, his grandfather drugged him, they wanted him to become an assassin too, he had watched as his mother killed a man and he nearly did the same thing to one of his classmates, the boy who had bullied him since they were little kids. Yeah, it was just your average, typical week for the Sawada boy.

"Normally, you would have screamed or try to run away" his grandfather said with a quiet chuckle.

"I'm just so tired right now and to top it all off, I feel like a train ran over me" Tsuna said as he closed his eyes, his mind growing sluggish.

"You're wrong, Tsuna-kun. It's not tiredness, that's your courage" his grandfather said and Tsuna snorted. "When you wake up again, you'll see that the world around you is the same, but you're not. You're stronger now" he whispered before Tsuna welcomed sleep with open arms.

* * *

When he woke up again, his grandfather was nowhere to be seen. Yet his mother was by his side, using a cloth to wipe his face. When his eyes opened, she smiled at him before pulling away. "Good morning, sleepy head" she said as she moved a little to the side and from the bed. Tsuna groaned and when he tried to sit up, his ribs protested against the action. Tsuna flopped back on the pillow and looked at the ceiling. "Are you hungry?" she politely asked him and he could see that she was trying her best not to look affected by his brusque actions.

"Not really" he said and she gave him a nod. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes and asked "Do you ever regret it?" The shock crushed away all traces of a smile on her face as she twisted the cloth in her hands. There was no reason to pretend anymore with each other. He couldn't pretend that it didn't hurt to know that the mother he loved for all his life lied to him. He couldn't pretend that it didn't hurt that no matter how much he tried, the betrayal always overwhelmed the love he had for his mother. He couldn't pretend that he hated that he couldn't forgive the one person who always defended him, who loved him more than he could ever know. However, despite all of that, he had to know if she ever regretted her decision because he needed her help as always. He needed to know if he would ever regret the path he chose for himself.

"Even though it's all I've known from since the day I was conceived, not once have I regretted it. Do you know why?" she asked and she brushed away a few strands of hair that were close to his eyes. When he shook his head, she said "Because no matter what happens, no matter what I do or what is done to me, I always protect my own. I will ALWAYS be there to keep you and Teruko-chan safe" Tears welled in his eyes and she wiped them away with the pad of her thumbs.

"You're a great mom" he whispered and he ignored his complaining ribs as his mother hugged him. This was their moment, discomfort be damned.

* * *

When Kyoko arrived in his room, he braced himself for the storm that he knew was coming his way. She was holding Teruko's hand in hers, when his little sister saw him for the first time since he was admitted into the hospital (which was two days now), her face scrunched up. Kyoko was the same but just for the little girl's sake, she stamped down her emotions so she could support Teruko.

Teruko sniffed, but that didn't stop the flow of tears. "Come here, Teruko-chan" he gently commanded her and without waiting she ran to him. She climbed onto his bed and wrapped her shaky hands around his neck, as he buried his nose in her hair. "I'm sorry" he whispered to her.

"You made mommy sad" Teruko sobbed and Tsuna ran his hand through her hair, just as Kyoko had done for him when he was sad. Kyoko's eyes softened as she sat down next to his feet. "Naughty" she chided as she pulled away. Tsuna wiped her runny nose and she settled herself on his lap, her face fastened to his chest. He had to hold in the flinch as she pressed up against his cracked ribs.

"She insisted that she come see you. Your mother and grandfather are on their way" Kyoko said as Teruko's sobbing got more silent. "She ran out the car as soon as we got to the entrance of the hospital" she added with a sad smile on her face.

"You're angry" Tsuna said, rubbing Teruko's back, watching as the little girl's energy fizzled and died. In fact she was looking sleepy.

"Of course I'm angry" Kyoko said through clenched teeth. "But I'm sad too" she added as she sighed. Ever since she sat in the back of that ambulance with an unconscious, almost broken Tsuna, her anger had been replaced with misery and regret. It was a shame too, she caught herself thinking, all that scolding she had practiced in her head was going to go to waste.

"I'm sorry" was the only thing he could offer up to her. When she saw the look in his eyes, she knew then that the only thing she had to return, was her forgiveness.

"Next time, I hear you're going to fight, I'll personally kick your ass myself" Kyoko said and Tsuna grinned at her before she slipped her hand into his. They were going to be alright. Tsuna, despite her previous worries, would be fine and that was the most important thing for them all.

* * *

It was later on, when his mother had to physically remove Teruko from his room seeing as she begged her to stay with her 'Tuna-kun', with Kyoko smiling a good bye at him, that his grandfather approached him once more. He felt lethargic, he felt exhausted, but he remained awake as the man stood next to his bed. "Every time you come talk to me, you either have bad news for me, or you're going to tell me horrible facts that I'm better off not knowing" Tsuna said to him and despite the tentative look on his face, his grandfather cracked a smile his way. The elderly man helped with the pillow behind him before pulling up the sheets over his body, trying to distract them both.

"If you should know, it's the former" he said and Tsuna frowned. "It's two set of bad news though" he added and Tsuna nosily exhaled.

"Go ahead" Tsuna said, readying himself mentally.

"Firstly, it's been decided…..that you won't be able to go back to school. That idiot…I mean the principal came to the conclusion that because of your actions, you would be expelled" his grandfather said and Tsuna sighed. Wasn't really surprising, seeing as what he had done to Eiji (yet there was part of him shouting 'Where is my justice?What about when he did all those horrible things to me? Why wasn't he expelled?!') but he ignored it.

"And the second?" Tsuna asked.

"It's about your third initiation test" his grandfather said, and was quite glad that the boy was taking everything with such a grace. "It's not like the first two. In fact it's a celebration where all of the clan welcomes their new kinsmen. The only thing is, after the third initiation, to be able to train you in our ways, you're going to have to move to Iga with me" he finished, anticipating his grandson's reaction. And he wasn't disappointed seeing as the boy released a loud, high pitched, hysterical "WHAT?!" in reply.

* * *

Each letter of his grandfather's previous revelation knocked against his skull in form of a rampant headache. His one eye that was swollen shut, stung when he tried to open it, an involuntary reaction seeing as his other eye opened wide. "You're kidding me, right?" Tsuna asked though he knew in his heart that his grandfather was not. His grandfather wasn't the sort that would 'kid' around.

"It's the only option" the man replied. Tsuna resisted the urge to pick up the beeping machine beside him and smash it at his impassive face. How could his grandfather be so calm at a time like this? He wasn't just asking him to fight against the bullies like the last time, he was asking him to leave everyone he knew and loved behind so he could move to Iga with him! Tsuna's breathing grew harsher as he tried but failed to calm his breathing. It wasn't good for his ribs. He buried his face in the pillow and gave a frustrated scream. Of all the things his grandfather asked of him, this was the worst. Damn…..this really was the worst, he thought to himself.

"I know this is difficult" the man was saying but stopped when Tsuna's bandaged hand slammed down on his bed.

"You have no idea how 'difficult' this is so don't pretend like you do" Tsuna hissed, as he held back his tears. "Can you leave, please?" he asked as he glared at the wall. His throat started to painfully close up as his emotions got the better of him.

"Of course" his grandfather said and neither said anything as he walked out the room.

* * *

For the first time in three days, Tsuna got out of bed. He felt like he was losing his mind trapped in that little room. He had to get out of there, to clear his thoughts, to get rid of the fogginess that imprisoned him whole. He had to find a place where he could think about everything that had happened. To return to the Tsuna he was, before all of this shit went down.

His family was thankfully not around, nor was Kyoko as he slipped out of his room in the rather revelling gown. It was evening, bordering on night, as he faltered down the empty halls no nurse or doctor to tell him to get back to his room. As he was going to turn the corner, he caught sight of a boy lying on a bed similar to his.

Tsuna slowly walked towards the glass, entranced when he realized exactly who it was. It was a frail looking Eiji, with a breathing mask secured over his face. **Oh God** …Tsuna didn't even know if you could call that a face, seeing as it was so badly bruised. Something revolting and tart rose in his throat before he placed his bandaged hand over his mouth. He gagged as the woman sitting next to Eiji wailed, praying to whatever God she believed in, to save her only son. "I think you should get back to your room" a voice said and when he turned, he saw his grandfather staring at him.

"Is he going to….?" Tsuna asked but his grandfather didn't answer him as he hooked his hand under Tsuna's armpit and gently tugged him down the hall.

"No, he's not" his grandfather firmly said but Tsuna kept looking back, watching as the woman held the rosary in her clasped hands, sobbing on her knees. He had done that…He had caused that woman… "Snap out of it, Tsuna" his grandfather said as the woman's image disappeared as soon as they were back in his room.

"I thought I was okay with all of this…that I could cope…" Tsuna said and as he bent down, he started to vomit in the trash can his grandfather had placed near his feet. Since he hadn't eaten anything for the day as yet, all that came up was a clear foul liquid.

"With power, comes regret" his grandfather sagely said as he placed a napkin in front of his face. Tsuna, when he was sure he was finished, wiped his face and took the offered glass of water so he could wash away the nasty taste from his mouth.

"What power?" Tsuna asked with a wince, as he lowered himself on the bed. "I feel like everything around me is crumbling, and all I can do is stand at the side watching because I have no power to do anything else" Tsuna whispered as his grandfather pulled the sheets over the lower half of his body.

"You know, I was there two years ago" his grandfather said as he placed the glass on the tray. He could see how tense Tsuna got but continued "When that kid made you eat that dog shit off of the street" Nana-chan had to physically restrain him from killing those fucking kids. He was that close to annihilating them.

"Why would you bring up such a thing?" Tsuna painfully asked.

"Because he deserved what was coming his way. You don't get to remain safe after picking on kids for all your life, Tsuna-kun. The world doesn't work that way because karma won't let it" his grandfather rattled off harshly.

"Unbelievable" Tsuna breathed under his breath. "How does that justify nearly killing him?!" he shouted and the one nurse who walked by, frowned.

"I'll just close this" she said before shutting the door of his room close.

"You feel you're above us, that you're above all of this…" his grandfather said, and Tsuna didn't like the darkness that started to cover the man's face. "…but I was there under that bridge, where none of you could see me. And do you know what I saw?" he asked and Tsuna sporadically grabbed at his sheets. "Even before you fainted, you had a smile on your face. So don't pretend that you didn't enjoy what you did to that kid. You damn well did" he whispered and Tsuna pulled the sheets over his head. "When you're ready to be the Tsuna I know you can be, we'll talk about the third initiation test so until then, stop lying to yourself. You're a Matsuoka, through and through. The sooner you accept it, the better this will be for all of us" he said before he stepped outside and closed the door behind him with a slam.

* * *

Thanks goes out to everyone who reviewed, followed and added this to your favorites.

It's like three am here when I finished this chapter. I'm tired, cranky and slightly depressed from writing this, so I'll respond to you all in the next chapter.

The next chapter will be updated (hopefully) by Friday for the latest.

IF I don't get hit by another nasty case of writer's block.


	9. ChAPtEr 8

ChApTeR eIgHt- Say your goodbyes and run away as fast as you can

Disclaimer

* * *

" _I have learned that if you must leave a place that you have lived in and loved and where all your yesteryears are buried deep, leave it any way except a slow way, leave it the fastest way you can..."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Beryl Markham**_ _,_ _ **West with the Night**_

Tsuna cloaked in his own clothes, stood outside of the hospital, ready to go home. The doctors said that he was going to fine and as result, he would be discharged that same day. While his mother had stepped in to see how he was faring last night, his grandfather had remained at home with Teruko. While his mother finished up with some paper work in the hospital, he opted to remain outside, already sick of the medicated scent that clung to the walls of the place he had spent four days in (though two was spent unconscious).

His ribs were aching a little and to keep his mind off the pain, he stared at the snow that fell in front of him. **You're a Matsuoka. You're one of us.** Tsuna frowned and kicked his feet forward. Why was his grandfather ALWAYS right? He didn't want to acknowledge it, but when he finally stood up for himself, when he finally beat Eiji, he felt powerful. Even with the adrenaline drained from his veins, he felt high. He felt so damn GREAT. He was more than just 'Dame Tsuna', no he was Dangerous Tsuna. Someone to be feared...

In an almost torturous reflex, Eiji's badly damaged face and his crying mother countered such a sentiment. Tsuna clenched his fists.

The more he listened to his grandfather, the more complied with these 'initiation' tests, the more he felt like he was losing part of himself. The Old Tsuna wouldn't have found glee in such a horrible thing.

It was horrible what he had done to Eiji. It was the same thing Eiji had done to him all those years.

 **So don't pretend that you didn't enjoy what you did to that kid. You damn well did.**

Tsuna sighed. This was too tiring. His thoughts were a mess.

"You got out?" someone asked and when Tsuna turned, he saw an older boy smirking at him. He appeared to be in his late teens. He was slim and very tall. His brown hair, the color of chestnuts was pulled in a high ponytail. He wore a pair of clear rimmed glasses and cocky smile on his face.

"Yeah" Tsuna said and the boy nodded. They stood in front of the entrance, Tsuna glancing at the boy from the corner of his eyes.

"You know it's not so hard" the boy started and Tsuna looked at the stranger. He wore a thick, expensive looking coat that hid most of what he wore, black slacks and accompanying black boots. Around his neck was a blue scarf. "Leaving that is" he added and his teeth prodded from his mouth, sharp as razor blades. Tsuna felt like he shouldn't even be speaking to the boy, so he just nodded. "I can sense that you're conflicted about whether to stay or leave" he leaned in close and whispered. Tsuna placed a hand on his ribs before moving away from the boy. Yup, he should've known he was a psychotic pervert.

"You can sense that? Don't tell me, you're a psychic?" Tsuna snorted. He was tired, in pain, a little cold….so forgive him for not being respectful.

"A psychic, nah" the boy said with 'ha'. "It's just the power of observation" he chirped with a confident smile. "Your body's language is giving you away" he added.

"Power of observation" Tsuna rolled around the words in his mouth and the boy was watching him with rapid interest.

"Yup~" he perkily said and the boy's attitude reminded him of his mother. "With the right observation, you can do nearly anything" he whispered. Tsuna turned back to see if his mother was finished. Something about this boy….did not seem right. "Have you made your choice, Sawada-san? Will you leave or will you stay?" he asked and Tsuna's eyes widened. Before he could shout or react, the boy was directly in front of him, his finger pressed on his own lips in a warning. _Don't make a scene. Answer the question._

"Who are you? Why do you know my name?" Tsuna asked, holding fast to the little bravado he had in his arsenal.

"Do you see how easy it is to get to you? If I really wanted to hurt you, I would've done so already. In fact, I could snap your tiny little neck and you wouldn't even know" the boy said with a smile against his finger.

"And why didn't you? Why don't you?" Tsuna asked and the boy's eyes glistened at the question.

"Because you're not ready" the boy laughed and bent down, so his mouth was close to Tsuna' ear. "Grow strong, Tsunayoshi-kun. Or else my target will change. You don't want that pretty little sister of yours, hurt do you?" he whispered and Tsuna in his brief rage, swung at the boy. Unfortunately the boy dodged. "Be sure not to tell them about me, Tsunayoshi-kun. This has to remain a secret between us for now. Or else" he threatened and Tsuna could only watch as the boy walked off, powerless to do anything.

* * *

"Surprise! Welcome home, Tuna-kun!" Teruko shouted when he arrived home. She was wearing a party hat on her head, her blonde pigtails dancing side to side as she jumped up and down. Ryohei was right behind her, welcoming him as well, though there was admiration in his eyes as he studied Tsuna's slightly bruised face.

"Onee-san's friend, you look great!" Ryohei beamed and his mother who welcomed them home as well, smiled.

"Thank you so much for looking after her" Tsuna's mother said as they walked in. Kyoko's mother nodded as she helped his mother with his things.

"Do you like it, Tuna-kun?" she asked, pulling on his pants leg as they walked into the brightly decorated living room.

"I love it" Tsuna said, and his sister was pleased with his answer. He chuckled as she and Ryohei started to run around, playing with each other. He turned to watch as his mother spoke to Kyoko's mother and Kyoko was helping her father with the cake outside. He knew then that was the perfect time to speak to his grandfather and he knew exactly where the man would be. After climbing up the stairs, and getting to his room, he saw his grandfather standing by his window.

"Are you ready to talk?" was the first thing he asked and Tsuna looked at his feet before he took a gulp of fresh air. He needed it to calm his racing heart. The choice he had made was a difficult one but that boy he met made it clear that this was the only way he could protect his sister.

"Yes. I will move to Iga with you" Tsuna said and the corners of his grandfather's eyes creased with pleasure.

"Good" his grandfather said, turning to him. "You probably have a lot of questions running through your mind about the move, am I right?" he asked.

"Of course. For one thing, how long am I going to have to stay with you? Is it permanent?" Tsuna questioned.

"It isn't permanent, not for now. It is only when you've completed your training and I've deemed you ready, then you'll move back to Namimori" his grandfather explained and Tsuna sighed. "I'll explain more on our way there, but for now, you're going to have to tell Teruko-chan and your female friend, seeing as your mother already knows" he added.

"Wait, now?" he asked and his grandfather nodded.

"Yes now, because tomorrow you're leaving with me" his grandfather said and Tsuna wobbled but steadied himself.

"Tomorrow? So soon?" he asked and his grandfather nodded. "Isn't that TOO soon? I mean I still have to pack and…" he was saying but stopped talking when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Everything you need will be provided at my home. All you need to do now, is tell them" his grandfather explained.

"Why do you always have to make my life so difficult?" Tsuna muttered as his grandfather walked out the room and down the stairs.

"Why to make you stronger, my weak grandson" his grandfather chuckled and Tsuna could only face palm himself.

* * *

"Excuse me everyone…" Tsuna said as they sat in the living room, eating pieces of cake that was to celebrate his 'return' from the hospital. A smile nearly broke out on his face when his eyes made contact with Teruko whose entire face was covered in cake. However she wasn't the only one, seeing as Ryohei had done the same thing, thinking that it was a competition. "…I have an announcement to make" he said, and he knew when he saw his mother's smirk, that she was going to enjoy this as much as his grandfather was.

Speaking of the man, he was sitting on the couch, with an innocent look on his face and Tsuna rolled his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but it snapped close when he saw Kyoko looking at him. He had forgotten in that small second, how hurtful this was going to be.

"But before that, I would just like to thank everyone for being here especially after everything that has happened. These past few days were really stressing for us all but somehow, we managed" he said and they chuckled along with him. "But this isn't about that. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to be living with my grandfather in Iga" he quickly said and out of all the reactions, Kyoko's was the worst.

"What did you say?" Kyoko asked, as she stood up. "I didn't hear you the first time" she added.

"I'm moving to Iga with my grandfather" Tsuna said, unable to meet her eyes. He saw when she walked up to him, but what he wasn't prepared for, was the slap that he was met with. "Kyoko…" he whispered as he touched his stinging cheek. Kyoko looked at him with a betrayed look on her face and tears in her eyes before she ran outside, in the freezing cold without her jacket or shoes.

"Tsunayoshi, I think it's best if you go after her" her father said and with a nod, Tsuna followed after his best friend.

* * *

"Kyoko-chan!" Tsuna shouted as he ran through the streets desperately searching for her. "Kyoko-chan!" he repeated, the cold reaching all the way to his toes. He could only imagine how freezing Kyoko must feel. He was going to scream her name again, when he saw brown hair in the neighbourhood playground they used to play in. Since last year they stopped going, seeing as they were 'too old' to be seen swinging with the little kids. Yet if he was honest, he missed it.

Kyoko was shivering as she sat on the swing set. In an attempt to gain some warmth, she was hugging herself, as snow fell around her and on her. "You're going to kill yourself out here" Tsuna said as he kneeled in front of her, wrapping her jacket around her. She tried to push out of his embrace but he wouldn't let her. He refused to let her go.

"D-D-Don't tt-t-touch m-me" she said through rattling teeth. He looked down and when he saw how red her feet was, he gently slipped her shoes on, one by one.

"You know you should be kinder to your saviour" he joked but she kept her head to the right as tears freely ran down her flushed cheeks. He could see that she was still cold and so, he took off his own jacket and placed it around her. Her eyes widened as she looked at him.

"What are you doing?!" she asked but all Tsuna did was sit down beside her on one of the other swings.

"I'm comforting my best friend" Tsuna said and she pushed herself off the swing.

"Why do you always do this?!" she shouted as she stood in front of him, towering over his sitting figure. "Every time I try to remain mad at you, you do this kind thing that makes me just forgive you in an instant" she screamed in a huff before tearing off his jacket before she forcefully gave it back to him. "For once, I would just like to remain mad at you" she added, before walking off. Like a dog running after its master, Tsuna followed her.

"I know you must hate me but Kyoko, I…." he was saying when she swirled around before giving him a quick and painful punch. "Ouch" he said as he sat in the snow, nursing his jaw.

"Of course I hate you right now!" she shouted through her teary sniffs. "You're leaving me behind, Tsuna-kun. You're abandoning me" she whispered. He tried to get back to his feet, but his ribs started to hurt too much. When she saw the pain he was in, she offered him her hand. When their hands gripped each other, Tsuna playfully pulled her down to the ground with him and she released a loud "Kyaa!" as she fell between his legs. "TSUNAYOSHI!" She shrieked and was ready to hit him again, when she saw the sad expression he was supporting.

"This is hard for me too, you know" he said as they sat down in front of each other, ignoring the gruelling snow. "You're literally the only friend I have. This decision was the worst one I've had to make and I've had to make some difficult ones these past few days" he said and Kyoko placed her head on his shoulder.

"I'm going to miss you so much" she whispered and they both cried for a good three minutes before the cold got so unbearable that they had no choice but to return to his house.

* * *

Lying in bed that night, after Kyoko and her family left, Tsuna decided to go to bed. He turned, and saw that it was only ten. He had been awake for three hours now, yet sleep evaded him. He looked around his room, at his anime posters, at his figurines, at his personal library, at his blue curtains, at his now empty laundry hamper, at his old carpet that he refused to get rid of, at his orange scarf (the one his grandmother had sewn for him), at his school bag, at his uniform (the fact that he had gotten expelled hadn't fully registered in his mind as yet), before he turned again so he could look at his ceiling. He was leaving Namimori. The town he was born in, the only place he had known, Namimori. "Tuna-kun?" a timid voice called and he saw Teruko staring at him from the doorway. His little sister, even when she heard his declaration, didn't understand exactly what he meant. She was too young to know what 'moving away' meant but Tsuna knew that Teruko had an idea of what it was. She was always smart. "Can I sleep with you tonight?" she asked, hugging her plushie. Her blonde hair was flowing over her tiny shoulders in waves while she wore a cute pink pajama set with hearts on them.

"Sure, come on" he said and she ran into his room before climbing onto his bed and under his sheets. He chuckled when she hugged him, though because she was so small, her arms couldn't fully wrap around his midsection properly. He placed his chin on her head and he knew she was awake as he was. "Did you have a bad dream again?" he asked and she shook her head.

"Mommy just wanted to sleep with you" Teruko said and Tsuna chuckled again before he hugged her back. "Tuna-kun?" she asked and he looked down at her.

"Hmm?" he asked as he closed his eyes, sleep finally making its presence known. Teruko shook her head again and with that, the Sawada siblings fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, after he and Teruko woke up, and after he got dressed, Tsuna stood in his room, staring at everything again. "We're ready downstairs" his grandfather said as he walked in.

"I'm really doing this" Tsuna said in awe as his grandfather took the duffel bag from his bed. The older man had insisted that he packed light which was weird, seeing as he was supposed to be leaving home.

"Of course you are" his grandfather said before patting his shoulder. "Come on, let's go" he added and Tsuna followed him downstairs, where everyone was waiting.

"Tsuna-kun, Mama is going to miss you~" his mother said as she tightly hugged him. "Be careful" she whispered in his ear and he nodded as they pulled away.

"We're going to miss you too" Kyoko's mother and father said as they pulled him in a family hug, the ones Tsuna often watched them have from a far. When they got out of the hug, Tsuna was blushing.

"Mommy wanted you to have this" Teruko said, tugging at his pants. Tsuna looked down and saw Teruko holding her lion plushie up at him. His eyes widened.

"Teruko-chan, I can't…" he said but she forced the plushie in his hand. "Thank you" he said as he scooped her in a hug. When he placed her back down on the ground, she ran out of the room.

"Don't worry, Mama will look after her" Nana said, leaving to go look for her daughter. Tsuna turned to Kyoko.

"Don't forget me, knucklehead" Kyoko said as they hugged. She tightened her arms around him as she buried her nose in his hair. "If you do…" she was saying.

"…you'll kick my ass" Tsuna finished for her and she laughed despite the tears. "I will NEVER forget you. I couldn't if I tried" he joked and she punched him on the arm.

"It's time" his grandfather said as the taxi outside the house released a loud 'Honk!' Tsuna hugged Kyoko again and then pulled away again when his grandfather told him to hurry up.

"A man can't even get a moment around here" Tsuna laughed and quickly spun on his heels. Kyoko sobbed and her father grabbed her in his arms as Tsuna walked out.

"It's going to heal" his grandfather said as they got into the taxi. "And you're years away from being a man, don't be so cocky" he added with a tender knock on Tsuna's forehead.

"I know" Tsuna wept and his grandfather sighed before he pulled Tsuna at his side, comforting the boy as he cried while the car drove off, from the one place Tsuna knew as home.

* * *

"I'll be right back" his grandfather said, some minutes after the airplane took off. Tsuna who was staring at the lion plushie in his hand looked up to watch him get up, his cane in hand. "I'm just going to the restroom" he added and Tsuna nodded. His grandfather smiled and as he walked down the aisle, he turned to watch his grandson. The boy had a lot to learn.

Tsuna hadn't even noticed when the old man casually walked into the galley*, where a lone air host was preparing a hamburger. "Has everything been arranged?" he asked. The boy, the same one who had threatened Tsuna that morning, turned and smiled.

"Yes, Soke-sama" the boy said with a bow, the glasses long gone. His long brown hair had been cut and dyed black. He even wore light brown contacts, dramatically changing the color of his eyes. Three more air hosts and two air hostesses joined them, each bowing at the man. "We have done as you instructed us" the boy added.

"Good" Tsuna's grandfather said and turned to look at his grandson who was preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice anything around him. Tsuna's grandfather chuckled. The third test was going to be so much fun. He just hoped that Tsuna survived it.

* * *

*galley - is like the kitchen on the plane (my own words) You can Google it.

PS: From here on, the story will continue to the darker side.

To Frwt: Thank you for your reviews. ^.^ As you can see, I did not kill Kyoko-chan. I'm not THAT heartless lol.

To Lil' Dormouse: Cute name. And yep, I love his works so...yeah.

As for the guest who left the review: Yeah, they ARE similar. He was part of the inspiration.


	10. ChApTeR 9

ChApTeR nIne – Heading into the unknown

Disclaimer:

Dedicated to: Yuki and Hi7807 who both left such great reviews. Thank you.

Warnings: There is some swearing and gross things.

* * *

 _Greatness is a road leading towards the unknown_

 _-Charles de Gaulle_ _ **  
**_

Tsuna had a lot on his mind. All of which ranged from the disturbing teenager to his third initiation test which his grandfather loosely told him was a celebration with the mysterious Matsuoka clan members. "You're supposed to be resting" his grandfather said as he opened his eyes. Tsuna had sworn the man had fallen asleep beside him.

"Too anxious" Tsuna replied as he bit on his fingernails.

"About what exactly?" his grandfather asked as he slapped his hand away from his mouth. Tsuna gave him a look that translated to: Are you serious?

"About everything!" Tsuna huffed as he crossed his arms.

"Don't worry, you'll love them" his grandfather said. He knew that the man didn't want to speak of familial affairs in public.

"But would they love me?" Tsuna retorted and his grandfather just chuckled before closing his eyes.

"Of course they will. You're my grandson. What's there NOT to love?" he asked with an ease of confidence. Tsuna on the other hand, was not so sure.

"We'll see" Tsuna muttered and looked out the window before drifting off in a light slumber unknown to him, that his grandfather was far from asleep. In fact, he was watching Tsuna.

"You're still too naïve, dear grandson" he whispered and when he looked up, he smirked at the air host, the one who had threatened Tsuna, as he approached. Tsuna hadn't even seen the boy or recognized him.

"Once he gets up, he's going to hate you again" the boy said as he glanced at Tsuna's sleeping face. It was one of the hardest things he had to do for Soke-sama, which was threatening the heir of the clan.

"Hate is good for people like us, Kaito" his grandfather said before taking the offered phone from him. "It makes us stronger" he added.

"Of course, Soke-sama" Kaito said with a bow and Tsuna's grandfather smiled. "Do you think he will forgive you for forcing his decision?" he asked.

"He'll thank me for it one day" his grandfather said as he stood up. "Now, let the third test begin" he added.

* * *

 _He remembers the day he first meets his little sister. He's four years old, excited and happy as he walks beside his father. "Tsuna-kun, you're going to love her!" his father tells him as they walk to his Mama's hospital room. He hasn't seen his Mama for two days straight! He can't wait to see her! But more than that, he has a brand new baby sister now. His Papa as he likes to call him pushes the door open and when Tsuna sees his Mama, his eyes widen._

 _"Mama!" he shouts and before he can run to her, he stops all by himself at the sight of something squishy looking, in her arms._

 _"Tsuna-kun, come meet your little sister, Teruko-chan" his Mama whispers to him and Tsuna totters over to her side. He's careful this time, his excitement dialed down to just his eyes. The closer he gets, the squishy things looks even balder and pinker, waddled in white blankets._

 _"She's tiny" Tsuna says in awe. His Mama leans down to briefly kiss his forehead but unlike before, he doesn't focus on her. He's staring at the little person who is supposed to be his little sister._

 _"Well, what do you think about her?" his Papa asks and Tsuna looks up at him. He's standing on the other side of his Mama. Tsuna looks back down at Teruko who chooses that time to open her eyes. Blue is all he can see as the baby reaches out her chubby hand. He doesn't know why but he feels like she's calling for him and he responds, by placing his finger in her hand. Immediately, little fingers grasp his own. He looks at this squishy thing who keeps staring at him, and he doesn't know why, but he wants to protect her (even though he needs protecting as well)._

 _"I love her" Tsuna whispers and Iemitsu as well as Nana are surprised when tears run down his face. His reaction is so strong for someone so young. "She's my little sister" he smiles and in that moment, he knew that he would do anything for her._

* * *

"Oi" someone shouted through the haze. Nudge. Nudge. Nudge. Tsuna groaned awake. He could feel something wet and cold all over his body. As his eyes blinked open, all he could see was a blurry white. His head was spinning as a shoe slightly kicked into his already bruised ribs. "Yer sleeping on my bed" the man said and Tsuna flew up from where he was lying down. It was hard cardboard on an even harder pavement. **Well SHIT**. Tsuna blinked at the man who had woken him up. He was what Tsuna knew was a vagrant. He wore dirty rags, with a black plastic bag on his head, thick matted clumps of what Tsuna assumed was hair fell on his shoulders, grubby fingers scratched against a crusty face. "Yer gonna get up, boy?" the man asked and Tsuna flinched when the ripe scent of human faeces and urine wafted in the air.

"Where am I?" Tsuna asked as he got up. The man took a long dry look his way before he sat down where Tsuna had been lying down.

"What yer mean?" he asked, scratching his head. Tsuna backed away when the man dug out lice from his head. **UGH** …..He turned as the man started to squeeze them between his fingernails. He looked down, what he now recognized was an alley way, where more beggars lined against the murky walls, the scent of food long expired hung in the air.

"That old bastard" Tsuna hissed. Of course. Of fucking course. (Sorry for swearing…no! He wasn't sorry!) Fuck his language. Fuck his grandfather, that fucking old…..he patted his pockets, searching for anything that would give him a clue as to where he was or even why was there, when he found a cell phone. It certainly wasn't his. It was one of those models he had seen on television, the ones his classmates all gossiped about, you know the one they all wanted their parents to buy for them. He swiped his finger across the touch screen and he watched with baited breath as it came to life. There wasn't any money on the phone, no way he could make a call, had no songs, no specialized wall screen except the one the phone company had issued, no special apps, nothing except one single video. Without any hesitance or choice, he clicked on it and his grandfather's masked face appeared. Of fucking…..course.

" _You're probably in a state of panic, right now"_ was the first thing he said. Tsuna rolled his eyes. " _You're also probably really angry with me"_ he said and Tsuna nodded his head, willing his anger away. " _And that's good. You're going to need everything you can for the third test. Now, I'm betting you're confused"_ his grandfather continued. " _First of all, when I said that the third test was a congratulatory celebration, I forgot to include that you're going to have to make it to Iga on your own. Right now, you're some miles away from Chubu Centrair International Airport. You should know also that the hamburger you ate on the plane was of course, drugged"_ he said and Tsuna kicked the wall in his fit of rage.

"Idiot" the vagrant said when Tsuna started to hop on his other foot, seeing as he had hurt his foot when he kicked the wall.

" _Before you cause a fit, you should listen to the rest of what I have to say. Your survival depends on it"_ his grandfather said and Tsuna frowned. " _As we speak, twenty other candidates are receiving the same message that you are. You're not the only one who wishes to become part of the Matsuoka clan. In fact, children whose parents serve under me, have woken up just as dazed as you are, in different positions around Chubu Airport, each in the situation that you are in. From here on out, this is no longer a test. This is a death race"_ his grandfather said, and Tsuna paused the video.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" he roared and the slumbering beggars lazily raised their heads to glare at him. He took some deep breaths before he clicked 'Play' again.

" _Only fifteen of you will successfully finish this death race, and the losing five will be eliminated"_ his grandfather spoke and Tsuna could feel a headache forming. Why was it always death?! _"Now you're wondering, what do you have to do in order to win? Well, it's simple. You must get from Chubu to Iga within the next two days. The last two to arrive in Iga, will be captured and brought to the mansion to wait further instruction. On the third day, you must make it to the Matsuoka clan house. BUT, there's a catch. Even if you do manage to find the clan house, in order to be given entry, you must obtain one of these"_ he said, holding up a simple red bandana. " _And in order to get one of these, you'll have to find them"_ he pointed to the right and the camera turned to eighteen 'shinobi' who each wore kabuki masks as well. " _The persons that fail to obtain one of these bandanas, will be captured for future elimination"_ he said as the camera zoomed back in on his kabuki mask. " _Now that I've explained what the race is about, let's talk about your resources. Check inside the insole of your left shoe. Each of you twenty candidates are given exactly_ _¥ 5432.2000 which is precisely $50 US dollars. Use it wisely."_ His grandfather said.

"How the hell do I do that?" he muttered to himself as he took off his left shoe. He looked at the vagrant who was staring at him, no doubt listening to what was going on. "You know, they'll kill you if they know you're listening" he told him and the vagrant didn't seem too non plussed about that.

"Here" the vagrant said throwing him a knife. "Foun' it on yer" he added and Tsuna frowned but took up the knife immediately. He sliced through his insole itself and no doubt, there was the money in a vacuumed, clear plastic bag. How was it that he didn't even feel it inside there? Huh….

" _The second resource you're given is a single Swiss Army knife. This will be your life source, even more than the money. Use it discreetly"_ his grandfather explained. Tsuna looked at the knife and tucked it in his pocket. The vagrant snorted.

"What?" Tsuna asked and the vagrant just waved him off before lying back down on the cardboard.

" _The final tool that we bestowed on you candidates is a single map. Check under the cardboard that you woke up on, and it should be there with specific locations circled. You should know that it's Chubu Centrair International Airport and your next meet up point: Ueno Castle"_ his grandfather said. The vagrant who had already heard everything, shoved his hand under the cardboard and held it in the air. Tsuna thanked him and took it. " _Now that we have that covered. Let's go onto the final portion of this race: the rules. Firstly, you will not place our clan name in jeopardy, by drawing attention to yourself during this test. If you breach this rule, you will be killed on sight, no exceptions"_ his grandfather said, and he had an inkling that it was directed at him. _"The second rule: all candidates are not allowed to run from this test. If you run, you will be killed on sight"_ he annotated. " _The third and final rule that you all MUST follow is this: you're not allowed to kill your fellow candidates AT ALL. If you're seen to have disregarded our rules, then you will be killed on sight"_ his grandfather said and Tsuna sighed. " _That is it for now. Arrive at your first destination and you'll receive another video with more instructions. May Kami look after you all, and safe travels"_ he said and then the camera zoomed out a little so he could add " _At the end of this transmission, a virus will erase all the memory on this phone"_ Before Tsuna could even register what that meant, the phone blacked out.

"Yer' in deep shit" the man said as Tsuna kept staring at the blank phone, with one shoe in his hand. "Yer not gona'las" he added. Tsuna slipped his shoe back onto his feet with the insole and placed the phone in his pocket with the knife. With the map tucked under his arm, he moved towards the homeless man.

"I have a little sister back home waiting for me so I have to be part of that winning fifteen" Tsuna said as he took out around one (1) Us dollar in Yen before holding it out towards the vagrant.

"Yer serious?" the man asked with a sceptical look on his face as Tsuna gently placed the money in his outstretched hand.

"My mom may be a lot things, but she always taught me manners" Tsuna said and the man shook his head as he pocketed the money.

"Yer know, yer' might be breaking one of dem rules" the vagrant said as he leaned against the wall behind him.

"By helping you? I don't think so" Tsuna said as he took the map from under his arm and looked out at the southern end of the alley. "See ya later" he added and with a quick smile, he started to walk.

"Wait!" the man shouted and Tsuna turned to him. "I kno' a guy who'll take yer fro' Tokoname to Yokkaichi fer half th' price" he added as he stood up.

"They might kill you" Tsuna said but the man just smirked, all the front row of teeth were black with cavities.

"From helping yer? I don't think so" the man chuckled before walking past him. "Tak' that road ther', go straight until yer get to a bar called Red Rose, ask for Big Aoi. Tell her Jin sen'yer" he said, pointing to a rather shady looking road, the one which was vacant compared to the others. "I mus' warn yer 'hough. Big Aoi don' help anyon' fo'free. So yer gonna hav'to mak' a trade" he added.

"A trade? Like what?" Tsuna asked and 'Jin' as he assumed the man's name, shook his head.

"It'll depen" Jin said and Tsuna frowned. "After yer trade with her, yer will ge'info on Ryo" he added and walked back to his cardboard.

"Why are you helping me?" Tsuna asked as the man laid back down.

"Don'ge'too emotion'l" the man said glancing at him before he closed his eyes. "Money runs the world kid. Don' forge' it" he added. Tsuna smiled to himself and looked at the road before him. It was now or never. "One piece o'advice kid. Keep checkin' yer time. It might help" he said and Tsuna nodded.

"Thanks, Jin-san. For everything!" Tsuna said and crossed the street. He took out the knife and sure enough, there was a tiny watch on it. "Keep track of my time. That's pretty sound advice" he added to himself, and feeling more confident than before, he walked up the street, hoping to meet with Big Aoi.

* * *

"You're not one to help anyone" the person said, as he slipped from the shadows in order to address the homeless man. Jin chuckled.

"You here to kill me, Kaito?" Jin asked and the boy who now wore googles over his eyes, looked down at him.

"You know I can't" Kaito said, throwing him a parcel. Jin caught it before it could reach his chest. "Soke-sama said that you're going to have to take part in this as well" he added and Jin frowned.

"Damn and I was on vacation too" Jin yawned as he plopped the dentures from his mouth, revealing perfect, pearly white teeth.

"Why did you help Tsunayoshi-sama?" Kaito asked as Jin took out a napkin to wipe his face. It was not make up, but real grime.

"Out of all the twenty, the kid is at a disadvantage. I thought I might make things interesting and level the playing field. Why else would you AND Soke-sama dump him right on my vacation spot?" Jin smirked and Kaito seemed to sneer at him from behind his mask.

"You're disgusting" Kaito said but Jin shrugged before they both left the alley. One left to trail Tsuna, the other to report to their Soke.

* * *

A/N: Just to clarify things

1) Firstly, the route Tsuna is going to take for this test aka death race (hehehe) is : the area around Chubu Centrair International Airport where Tsuna woke up (I just googled the place. I have not been to Japan nor do I have in depth knowledge about this particular place so please use your imagination in case you want to know exactly where) to Iga.

To get to Iga, he's going to get a ride to Yokkaichi from Tokoname. Tokoname to the airport is like seven minutes. It isn't that far.

From Yokkaichi he's going to have to take a train to Iga, but more specifically to Ueno Castle.

2) Even though these are real places in Japan, they have been twisted by me, the author to accommodate all the details I've written.

I've also used US dollars because I hardly know anything about yen. The money that was referenced, was something I researched. So if it's slightly wrong...forgive me.

3) Due to some reviews (not this story but my other stories which I have deleted), I've decided to include this little tidbit from now on :

THIS IS AN AU...I REPEAT THIS IS A FKING AU. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, RESEARCH IT.

Once you know that, then you don't have to point out stupid things like : Oooh, this would never happen or she/he would never do this...BLAH.

Peeps, I love you guys and I welcome your thoughts, but come on. Don't be a douche. No one likes a douche. Don't waste your time writing something I and everyone else already knows.

This is fan fiction. Read between the lines.

The questions that was raised in the reviews will be answered in the next chapter.

Thank you to everyone else, and excuse my little rant. Even when they're just faceless blobs on the internet, some people can really tick you off.


	11. ChApTeR 10

ChApTeR tEn – Recon 101: An amateur's guide to observation

Disclaimer:

So, I've broken the tradition of the past few chapters, by placing a definition instead of a quote. Why? Because none of the quotes I found really fit this chapter. (If you're wondering)

* * *

 _Observation_

 _(ob-zur-_ _ **vey**_ _-shuh n)_

 _noun_

1\. _the action or process of closely observing or monitoring something or someone_.

Tsuna continued down the narrow road, listening to some drunkard as he loudly sang the lyrics of a popular pop song, though his voice was completely different from that of the cute, girl's group who originally sang it. Most of the bars and shops as he passed by were closing for the morning, seeing as they were open all night. "Red Rose. Red Rose" he muttered under his breath, the further he walked. Time was all he could think of. Oh, and the prospect of this 'death race'. Was his grandfather crazy? Well, crazier than usual?

This was plain suicide on his part. "Red Rose!" he shouted and he ran towards the small bar settled cosily from the hustle and bustle from the city. There was a large wooden sign with the loopy writing of 'Red Rose' with an engraved rose at the side, its thorns seemingly running down from the plank to the wall. He could see a rather muscular woman closing the sign from 'Open' to 'Close' and he knew that must be Big Aoi. He knocked against the glass door. When she turned, he took in her features. She was wearing a purple wig, wore bright pink lipstick and had an Adam's….OHHHH. She was a HE. "What do you want kid?" the man gruffly asked, taking out the cigarette from his mouth before he reopened the door.

"Jin-san sent me" Tsuna said when the man…err…woman, glared down at him, his light beard rather off putting and confusing while he wore a tight, purple dress. The glare reduced to a frown.

"Come in then" the man said and Tsuna looked inside but didn't move. "I don't have all day. Get inside" the man added and used his free hand to give him a little push. Tsuna braced himself on the wall before continuing in the bar. "Sit" the man demanded and Tsuna tentatively looked around before sitting down one of the stools near the counter. "Why did Jin send you here?" he asked as he took up the ashtray and flicked some of the ash of his cigarette inside of it.

"I need information" Tsuna said as he straightened his back in an attempt to seem tall. It only made Aoi chuckle. "I need to find Ryo so I can get to Yokkaichi" he added and Aoi studied him for a second.

"What's your name, kid?" he asked as his hip leaned against the counter.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi" Tsuna said and whatever reaction he was expecting, didn't come. The man just kept looking at him, no visible change at hearing his name.

"Alright, I'll help you but it comes at a cost" Aoi said as he stepped behind his counter. "Jin told you that I would expect a trade, right?" he asked and Tsuna nodded. He watched as Aoi bent down and rummaged around for a while, the sound of bottles knocking against each other, made Tsuna more nervous than he was. "Right, here it is" he muttered to himself and when Aoi stood up again, Tsuna gulped at the large, yellow envelope in his hand. He threw it on the counter and crossed his arms.

"Open it" he demanded and with shaky hands, Tsuna did as he was instructed. There were two pictures. One of a pudgy bald man, in his fifties wearing a suit, a phone to his ear as he stood near a sleek black car, the next was of a pretty young woman around her twenties, wearing a short pink dress, had long flowing blonde hair though she was certainly Japanese guessing from her slightly slanted eyes, had a slightly round face and a beauty mark near her right eye.

"This is what I want you to do. Listen carefully because I'm not going to repeat myself. Memorize their faces. You have five minutes before I take back those pictures. You don't need to know who they are, or anything about them. All you need to do is what I tell you to do" he said as Tsuna considered their faces.

"When you're done, I'm going to give you exact taxi fare to get to Comfortable Hotel* and back, it's not that far from here so it won't be too expensive. They'll arrive at the hotel at around 10:53 am and will stay in the lobby until 11:05 am. While you're there, I want you to use this" Aoi said placing a camera down on the counter. "I need you to take pictures for me. I need to get pictures of them, TOGETHER. Touching, holding hands, all and any affectionate or intimate touches, I want them photographed" Aoi said.

"Before I do this, I have two requests" Tsuna said and Aoi quirked an eyebrow. He had seen in the last movie he watched, how the protagonist had negotiated his way into getting exactly what he happened. Of course that was fiction and this was real life (is it now?), but he had to try. The worst he could get was a no. "One, I need a watch, a wrist watch would be better if you had one" he told him and Aoi smirked but nodded for him to continue. "Two, I need to know if you can fix this phone or get me a new one. I don't care if it's old or new, I need a working phone. Just in case, you never know" he added as he took out the phone his grandfather had left for him.

"That's it?" Aoi asked and Tsuna released a quiet 'huh'. "It's reasonable enough. I can get you that wrist watch now, but the phone will have to wait" he added.

"Exactly how much pictures do you want?" Tsuna asked as he took up the camera.

"The number doesn't matter. It's the content that I want. Wait right here" Aoi said and he disappeared in the back once more. While Tsuna tinkered with the camera, examining it like he would a test paper, Aoi came back out with a bland leather wrist watch. "There you go hot shot" Aoi chuckled as he placed it down on the counter with the taxi fare.

"Thank you Aoi-san" Tsuna said as he placed the camera down before he took up both the wrist watch as well as the money. He separated the money he had for the death race with that from the money he got from Aoi.

"I have a friend who will look into this. If it can't be fixed, I'll get you a new one" Aoi said as Tsuna studied the pictures. "You ever did recon work in your life before kid?" he asked.

"Oh, this is recon?" Tsuna asked and Aoi's eyes widened. Was he serious?!

"You're kidding right?" Aoi asked and Tsuna just innocently blinked. "You're not, are you?" he added with a sigh.

"No, I'm not" Tsuna said as he strapped the camera around his neck. "Wish me luck" Tsuna added with a happy grin on his face as he moved to the door. He had no clue as to what he was going to do, but all he knew was that he had to get this done.

"Wait, wait, wait" Aoi called him back. He looked at Tsuna for a minute before he sighed again. "One second" Aoi said and for what felt like the third time, he disappeared. Tsuna looked down at the wrist watch. **10:00 am.** "Here you go" Aoi approached, a little white book in his hand. "I can't believe Jin sent me a green horn" he muttered as Tsuna looked down at the neatly written words of 'Guide book'.

"Is this a manual about recon?" Tsuna asked flipping through the pages. Aoi nodded and looked at him. "Who wrote it?" he added when he didn't see the name of the author.

"I did" Aoi said and Tsuna's eyes widened. "Don't ask me why or how. Just get going" Aoi barked and Tsuna nodded before he was out of the door once more. "Soke-sama, what are you even thinking letting a kid like that into this race?" he muttered, watching as the boy as he left, a huge grin on his face. Aoi smirked as he caught sight of familiar tuft of shimmering whitish gold hair that shot him a secret grin. Huh….that was why…. "You sneaky bastard" he chuckled.

* * *

Sitting in the warm backseat of the taxi, Tsuna opened the book Aoi had given him. 'Recon 101: A rookie's guide to accurate observation'. Tsuna almost smirked. He flipped to the first page that was written in perfect hand writing, almost similar to that of his mother's.

" _What does recon even stand for? Do you know?_

 _Of course you don't know, because you're a rookie and that's why you're reading this._

 _Recon is short for reconnaissance._

 _What does that mean?_

 _It means that if you're on a recon mission, then your task is to obtain information._

 _How do you do that?_

 _You obtain your needed information from observing your target or area. Through the powers of observation, you will be able to successfully gain vital information._

 _So, how do you observe your target or area?_

 _Through visual methods or deduction methods, but for now, we'll remain on the visual portion of observation._

 _But hold on~_

 _How are you going to perform such methods?_

 _Why, through the planning process of recon, of course!_

 _Wait…what is the planning process?_

 _Well, I'm glad you asked, the planning process is where…."_ Tsuna stopped reading. This book, it was kinda schizophrenic.

"You're kinda young to be travelling on your own" the driver made small talk. Tsuna politely smiled and nodded before he continued reading.

 _"…_ _each person should create a list for their recon. For starters, you must ask yourself: Who or what is your target? Do you have it?_

 _Yes?_

 _Good!_

 _Secondly on your list, you should do some preparatory investigation!_

 _OOOOH, what is that?_

 _Well, that is the part of the planning process, where you should get some background information on your target or target area._

 _For example, if you're dealing with a person, you should pay special attention to their schedules, like their daily routines, places that they frequent such as their favourite restaurants. You know information that would prove imperative in the long run, seeing as it helps with your recon._

 _"_ _Thirdly, you should watch over your target first-hand, also known as scouting!_

 _PS: Be as discreet as possible! Don't let them see that you're following them!_

 _But wait, why should you observe your target?_

 _I'm glad you asked!_

 _Looking over your target, gives you the opportunity to take visual evidence._

 _Like what?_

 _Like pictures of course! Photos help with creating a plan!_

 _Please note: When taking pictures, please choose a non-conspicuous place, one where you can take them without drawing attention to yourself. It's about discretion, remember that!"_ Tsuna looked up from the book when he felt the car stop.

"We're here" the driver said and Tsuna unlocked the door. "Be careful, boy. The world out there isn't a nice place" he added with a kind expression on his face. Tsuna nodded and without another word, he exited the taxi. He stepped forward and checked his watch. **10:47 am**. He had six minutes to find a 'non-conspicuous' place to snap the pictures of the man arriving with the woman. He stood outside the hotel, and looked around the entrance.

There was a steady string of people entering and exiting, though none paid too much attention to him. Visual observation. Directly opposite the main entrance was a beautiful view of the ocean, a place that seemed to attract a flow of tourists (around five to six people for the most). There was a large mat with the logo and words "Comfortable Hotel: Stay with us, stay with Comfort", underneath the large, automatic slide through doors. Leading inside, as soon as one stepped through those doors, there were around three women and two men sitting behind the large C shaped desk, who served to greet the guests. One of the women was subtlety looking at him and he knew then that he was starting to look suspicious so he walked off.

No attention to yourself, remember that Tsuna. He walked to the railing, blending into the tourists who chattered around him. "Eureka moment" Tsuna thought to himself as he twisted his body to the hotel. He lifted the camera and zoomed the lens in. "Bingo" he whispered to himself and he smirked before lifting his wrist watch to his face. He had two minutes to spare before the man and woman got there. He even had a great view of inside the quaint lobby with modest seating arrangements, the one he knew they would go to. He knew he couldn't just walk into the hotel without a reservation. But what if he had to go inside? What would he do? Damn it. No use in worrying now, if it comes down to that, you'll have to improvise.

" _Hello there little boy_ " a pasty woman said in English. " _Are you lost?"_ she asked as she got into his personal space and Tsuna tried not to flinch at her hot breath fanning across his cheek.

"No, I'm waiting for my parents" Tsuna replied with rather broken English. Even if he could read the other language, didn't mean he could speak it fluently. The woman though unsatisfied with his answer, left him alone anyway. Just in time too.

The sleek car arrived in front of the hotel. He had his camera ready before he positioned it to the frozen sea. He glanced at the car, when the driver got out to open the door. He twisted his body forty five degrees. Not towards the sea or the hotel, but just in between. He pretended to take pictures of the people there. Blonde hair.

He turned and snapped pictures of the woman as she stepped out the car, her hand tightly wrapped around the man's hand. He was wearing a suit again, though it was a blue one that time. The woman on the other hand, wore a sleek red dress that fell to her ankles, a white fluffy jacket around her, and the same color as her white ear muffs. She looked like a beautiful princess while the man looked like slippery frog.

Frog-man as Tsuna decided to call him, leaned in to whisper something to her and she coyly placed a hand over her mouth as she giggled. He smiled and he snapped a picture as his hand slid dangerously to her lower back. He stopped snapping pictures of them and turned around to his environment, to make it seem that he was taking pictures of the walkway.

He could feel the driver's gaze on him. He watched from the corner of his eyes as they entered the main entrance, said hello to the five persons at the desk before they disappeared down the one hallway, Tsuna had no visual of. Shit. He checked his wrist watch. Check down thirty seconds, he told himself as his leg bounced up and down. When his count was finished, he headed towards the hotel.

"Ano, excuse me" he said. The woman who had been watching him, looked up, a sneer already on her face. "Can I use your bathroom, please?" he asked with a pathetic look on his face.

"Are you staying at our hotel?" the woman asked with a nasal voice. He nearly snickered. "If you don't have a reservation here, you can't go in" she told him. He crossed his legs and the others looked over at him as he tapped against the counter.

"Please, I have to go! I'm waiting for my parents to come, I've been waiting for a long time….Please~" he clasped his hands together.

"Come on, don't be such a hard ass. He's just a little kid" one of the other girls said to her and Tsuna nodded at them. Come on, let's get this under way.

"Fine" the girl relented and pointed to exactly where the man as well as the woman walked. "Go down there, it's on the right. If you're not out of there in ten minutes, I'll come look for you myself and kick you out" she snorted and Tsuna bowed, thanked her before he ran down the hall. His eyes darted everywhere in his desperate search, when he finally spotted them. They were sitting in one of the secluded and cosier ends of the lobby. He looked both left and right. The coast was clear. **10:58 am.** He had seven minutes worth of picture taking.

* * *

"You did it" Aoi said clearly surprised. He looked through the pictures, a satisfied expression brushing over his stern facial features.

"Like I told Jin-san. I have a sister counting on me, and I'm not going to let her down" Tsuna said as he sat down. Aoi glanced at him. What a mature thing for a ten year old to say. But then again, he was Soke-sama's grandson and the famed Blue Angel's son, so he could imagine just what hell they placed him through. They were a rather sadistic duo, Aoi knew that.

"A little sister, huh?" Aoi hummed as he placed the phone on the counter. "My friend took a look at your phone and wiped away the virus. All data from before was lost, but its clean and workable now" he said and Tsuna took it up with thanks clearly written in his eyes.

He took out the cigarette from his mouth and watched as Tsuna gently placed it back in his pocket. Tsuna was going to unwrap the strap of the camera from his neck, when Aoi held his hand up in the air. "You keep it. You're going to need that more than I do" he said and smirked when Tsuna deeply bowed. "About the second end of our deal. Information on Ryo-kun" Aoi addressed and Tsuna shot up. "Right now, from what my contacts say, he'll be at Chita-Handa Station. Apparently he has some business there. If you want to hitch a ride to Yokkaichi from Ryo-kun, you're going to have to board a train from Rinku-Tokoname station to Chita-Handa station" Aoi said and slapped a train ticket on the counter. Tsuna's eyes widened. "Cough it up" he said opening his hand. Tsuna got out his money and counted what he believed what was the right amount before placing it in Aoi's outstretched palm.

"Thank you for all that you've done for me, Aoi-san" Tsuna said as he placed the ticket in his front pocket of his jacket.

"Word to the wise kid, secure your things. There will be people ready to pick pocket you and if you lost all your money, you'll be in deep shit, you know" Aoi said as he secured the pictures he got from Tsuna under the counter.

"What does Ryo-kun look like?" Tsuna asked and Aoi smirked. He did not like that smile.

"Oh, you'll know when you see him. He's not hard to miss" Aoi said and Tsuna gulped. "Good luck in getting to Yokkaichi. Maybe that silly guidebook of mine will help you" he added and Tsuna bowed once more.

"Thank you Aoi-san. Now I must be on my way" he said and Aoi shook his head as the kid waved at him before storming out of his café. He was surely a weird one. But he had potential. Aoi had to give him that.

"Let's see how far he goes" he said to himself before he looked down at the pictures and ran a knife through them. He had pigs to slaughter.

* * *

"Do you think that maybe you should've held back a little?" Kaito asked the boy as he calmly examined the writhing body on the filthy floor.

One of the candidates, some nobody who actually believed he would pounce on Soke-sama's grandson, was whimpering where he was slumped on the ground. His right hand was limply placed behind his back, the bone pushing through skin and clothes from where the other boy had broken it.

Kaito one of the overseers of the race, knew that the crying boy hadn't broken any of the rules, but he had moved in hopes of hurting Tsunayoshi-sama and that was why the other boy had intervened. The boy with platinum blonde hair that bordered on white, bent down. Huh, so he was the one who Soke-sama instructed to…Kaito smirked behind his kabuki mask.

"He Is OfF lImItS" the boy hoarsely said in a voice that was as unintelligent as that of a toddler's. The boy with the broken arm rapidly nodded and the other one got up.

"How much has it been since the race started?" Kaito asked, watching with boredom as the kid wiped away blood from his knuckles.

"SeVeN" the boy crooned and turned to smile at Kaito who whistled. He had known about some of the other's disapproval of Tsunayoshi-sama but seven at the start was a lot. It seemed like their parent's discontentment of Soke-sama's grandson travelled to their kids who were allowed entry into the race. That had to be one of the reasons why they even thought about hurting Soke-sama's grandson. Or it could be that maybe, Tsunayoshi-sama was easy pickings for people like them….. "He Is NoT WeAk" the boy said as though reading his mind. His eyes never left the boy's back, the one who crawled out of the alley with his broken hand and crushed ego.

"I never said he was" Kaito refuted but the blonde just snorted before looking at Tsuna who walked past them, unaware as usual. He couldn't help the softening of his eyes as the boy disappeared down the street. "To our missions" he saluted and the boy nodded at him before leaving. "You poor, poor bastards" he whispered as he looked up at the grey skies. They thought Tsuna was going to be an easy target. How wrong they were.

* * *

A/N: So who exactly is this delightfully deranged guardian angel? Well….that's one of the answers you'll get in the future chapters.

*There is a real Comfort Hotel in Japan, but I decided to create a fictional hotel based on that one. That also means that the actual kilometres from Chubu Airport to Comfortable will be completely different from the real Comfort hotel and thus the time to get to the hotel will differ as well.

Information found in this chapter was found off the internet. If there was any contradictions, as I've said before, ignore them.

Things to note:

1) When I said that the boy who had his hand broken was a 'nobody', I was referring to the hierarchy of the Matsuoka clan that will be revealed in time.

2) Just because they're shinobi, I do not plan to use the ranks that we see in Naruto (genin, chunin….) as that hierarchy.

3) We'll see that within the clan, there's some who don't want Tsuna to succeed in both the death race and as the heir. As a result some are for Tsuna, while others are against him. Therefore resulting in a sort of strife in the clan.

4) What does the Soke has to do with the boy referenced in the final paragraph of the fic?

Again, you'll have to wait and see.

To Yuki: Thank you as always for your review.

Huh….I can see it now. XD Well, I was going for mysterious, but I totally didn't have that Kaito in mind when I created my Kaito.

To Hi7807: ^.^ I would so love to see that poster lol. As for Tsuna's grandfather….he can be both bad and good. You'll see.

To LordGhostStriker: Pfftt. You can keep your salty bucks, kind sir.

You'll see what I mean when the story rolls around. I won't spoil anything, but nah….you'll see.

To thecatleader: Your name is just adorable…Thank you for your review \O/

To Hedybear: *bows* Thank you.


	12. ChApTeR 11

Chapter eleven – Trouble finds you because misery loves company.

Disclaimer:

" _I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble usually finds me."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **J.K. Rowling**_ _,_ _ **Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban**_

* * *

Tsuna sat down on his seat, thankful that it was one near the window. He had finally made it to Rinku-Tokoname station and got there in time to board the train. As he sat down on the toasty seat, he felt himself sigh. Now that the adrenaline of finding himself in a strange place on the streets were leaving him, he felt hungry. His stomach loudly complained. He glanced around the train as it started moving and saw that there were hardly anyone around. Just a woman and her son. He smiled to himself, thinking about his mother and his sister. His mind tried to push him in that dark place but he refused to go there. It was like he said. He had to survive this. He had to. For Teruko's sake. He leaned back against his seat and fatigue tried to lull him asleep but he refused to close his eyes. In fact, he took out Aoi's book and started to read.

" _If you wish to pull off perfect, discreet scouting, it is recommended that you work with a team. While you're taking the pictures, another person could be behind the wheel of a car, just in case you need to get away as fast as you can._

 _Even if you don't have a team, don't worry! Anyone can scout their target properly if they follow through with the basic rules!_

 _Now that you understand the rules of scouting, you should go to fourth step of the planning process!_

 _What is the fourth step?_

 _The fourth step would be to take an account of resources that you have on hand and what you will need for the future. It is recommended that you have the basic necessities of recon such as surveillance gear: for example binoculars, cameras, recording devices etc._

 _Transportation is also important, and clothes._

 _Why are clothes important?_

 _Clothes is part of your disguise. It is part of scouting. If you have to track your target, you have to do so in a way that draws little attention to yourself._

 _For example, if you're tracking the manager of a company, would you wear a dingy pair of jeans to enter into his office? Of course not! If you wish to blend in, then you're going to need to look the part! Clothes make the man! Or the woman!"_ Tsuna was reading when someone plopped themselves down on the seat before him. He looked up from his book and a girl around seven years old was smiling at him. Her hair was brown as his, though it wasn't as fluffy. In fact, it neatly ran down her shoulders from the black ribbon she had used to place it in a high ponytail. She wore a black jacket that was left opened, a white dress with more black ribbons that ran around her mid-section and thigh high boots with white laces.

"Hi" she chirped as she pushed herself forward, her amber eyes sparkling. "I'm Aimi-chan" she said. Love beauty, huh? She frowned when Tsuna placed his book back into his jacket. "What's your name?" she asked with a smile.

"Tsuna" he replied. Unlike with Aoi, he didn't tell this kid his full name. He didn't know why but something about her, just like with his grandfather, rubbed him the wrong way.

"Are you sure?" the girl sweetly asked and he could see her hand moving to left boot. "Aimi-chan told you her name, so why don't you tell me yours?" she pouted but Tsuna wasn't convinced. He looked down the walkway of the train, only to see a burly boy blocking one of the exits. When their eyes met, Tsuna knew for sure that something was wrong. To prove him right, before he could turn around, a knife was pressed against the side of his neck, so people walking past them wouldn't see it from that angle. "Give me your money" she said, the sweetness gone from her face, the metal digging into his neck. The tip of the blade threatened to break his skin as she applied more pressure.

"Or what? You going to kill me?" Tsuna asked and the girl's eyes narrowed. He had already been through SO much within the short span of days, that he couldn't find it in himself to fully react to the girl or her threat.

"You see that little boy there?" the girl pointed and Tsuna followed where her finger was directing him to look, some seats down from them. The mother and boy was huddled together, reading one of Tsuna's favourite books. "If you don't give me your money in three seconds, I'm going to kill them" she said. Tsuna gritted his teeth, hate boring through his pupils as he dug into his jacket for the death race money. She smirked and pocketed it. "You're too easy, kid. I'm sure you haven't even tried to make connections with the others" she told him.

"You're part of it" Tsuna whispered but she didn't answer. Instead, he could barely keep up when the knife disappeared like it wasn't there in the first place.

"We've been watching you ever since you got on this train but you never even noticed us" Aimi said with an unimpressed snort. "We heard about Soke-sama's grandson entering the race, but who would've thought he would be so weak" she whispered and his hands gripped onto the hand rests of his seat, until his knuckles turned white with the rage that was ready to explode.

"Aimi-chan, we have to leave" the boy said, walking towards them. "They're coming" he added. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and placed her hands on her hips.

"Don't worry, this wasn't personal or anything. This is just how the business works" Aimi said and shot him a peace sign before they high tailed it out of there. He could only watch completely humiliated as the two ran off, followed by some men. He had just been robbed by a fucking seven year old.

"Damn it" he whispered to himself. Even his mother would be disappointed. "Shit" he said as he sat up. "Now how am I going to pay Ryo?" he asked himself and groaned. Now he was in deep shit.

* * *

"Well that was easy" Aimi laughed as the doors snapped close behind them. They could hear the men approaching but she didn't particularly care. "What's wrong?" she asked her brother but before he could answer her, her eyes widened at the gun positioned threateningly into his temple. When Aimi got her knife ready to retaliate, she froze at the gaze she was met with. This boy was even more dangerous than she and her brother was. "You…." She hissed. She had heard through their grapevine about the kid protecting Soke-sama's grandson but she would have never, in her wildest dreams think that the boy would be HIM.

She was expecting the boy with whitish gold hair to shoot her brother or even injure him, but instead, the boy shoved her brother in her direction. Instantly, she got rid of her knife so he wouldn't collide with the sharp metal. She could tell that the boy wasn't going to do anything.

Yeah they had robbed their Soke's grandson and threatened someone else's life, but they hadn't harmed him.

That was the only reason he was letting them go. "Next time, I'll make you pay" Aimi gritted her teeth.

"ThErE wOn'T bE a NeXt TiMe" the boy smirked and Aimi bit her tongue in silence. "RuN" he ordered and without another word, Aimi escaped with her brother.

* * *

When Tsuna finally made it to Chita-Handa station, the police had rushed in, ready to interrogate them about the thieving duo. Apparently Aimi and her accomplice had robbed not only Tsuna but nearly everyone on the train. As soon as the doors slid open and they were told to come outside in an orderly line, Tsuna's eyes roved everywhere, looking for a way to sneak out. "We're just going to ask you all a few ques-…" the officer was saying when a loud 'SLAP' interrupted him. Their attention was swallowed up by the rather boisterous couple who was arguing right there on the platform.

"How could you do this to me?!" the woman screamed at the man who had neon green hair and sunglasses on his face. He wore some type of cheap looking suit with a bright gold watch on his wrist and a pair of shiny black shoes. "You spent all of our money on your gambling and now, we have nothing!" the woman shouted as she slapped him again. The officers who were so intent on maintaining order before, were now enjoying the free show that they were given. Tsuna decided that would be his cue to leave. He couldn't waste time going to the police station. He had to find a way to hitch a ride to Yokkaichi with Ryo with NO money. He was ready to slip away, when a name stopped him. "Do you have anything to say for yourself? Huh? Ryo-kun, answer me!" she demanded and Tsuna's mouth dropped open. THAT was Ryo?!

"Yeah" he croakily whispered and he straightened himself up before leaning forward. "Does this mean we can see other people?" he asked and they were all glad when the women decked him.

* * *

"You always could pack a punch, Yukine-chan" Ryo muttered to himself, carefully dabbing the handkerchief against his split lip. Judging from the burning pain in his mouth, he had bitten his tongue when Yukine (who was his ex now) had hit him on the platform. He leaned against his van. Usually he would grasp onto the black box pressed against his chest, secured in his pocket when he realized that it wasn't there. "Oh right" he hissed as he slammed the back of his head against the window. "Ryo-san!" a slightly shrill voice called and his head snapped to the right, where a short boy was stumbling towards him. He remembered what Big Aoi had told him over the phone. "There's a kid heading your way. Be nice. He's a friend" the woman (even though Aoi was beefy than he was) had warned him. He knew what that meant. He couldn't swindle the kid. What a shame, he said to him, this kid was made to be conned with those innocent eyes and naïve face. That begged the questions though: Who the hell was this kid? And how did he get tied up in _their_ world?

* * *

"Ryo-san!" Tsuna shouted as he approached the man. Ryo was standing next to a modest white van, wiping away the blood from his split lip. He looked up and Tsuna said "Big Aoi sent me". Ryo frowned and pulled the handkerchief from his mouth.

"Yeah, she called me" Ryo said taking off his sunglasses, blue eyes focused on his face. Now that he had a good look at him, he could see a hint of foreign blood poking through. "My mother was Italian" he added when he saw how Tsuna was curiously looking at him.

"That's nice?" Tsuna said though it came out as a question but could you blame him? What was he supposed to say? Ryo just smirked and leaned against his van.

"So you want a ride to Yokkaichi" Ryo said as he placed the napkin in his front pocket.

"I have to get to Iga by tomorrow" Tsuna said and Ryo crossed his ankles as well as his arms.

"How much money do you have?" Ryo asked and Tsuna frowned. "What?" he asked again at the boy's crest fallen face.

"I got robbed" Tsuna said and for a good two minutes, silence blew between them. Ryo pushed himself off his van and patted Tsuna's head.

"Too bad. Well good luck" Ryo said ready to jump inside, when Tsuna stopped him. "I don't do anything for free, kid" he added as he slapped Tsuna's hand from grabbing his jacket. Tsuna stepped aside as Ryo sat down in his van, ready to leave. He had to stop him. Ryo was the only way he could make it to Yokkaichi and then to Iga. He had to stall him….Come on brain. Think! Think! Think! Tsuna's eyes widened and he knocked against Ryo's window.

"We'll make a trade!" Tsuna shouted and Ryo frowned from inside the van. "Please, I'll do anything!" he added as he bowed. Ryo stared at the kid. He knew exactly what desperation was, and this kid was dripping in it.

"Alright, hop in" Ryo said and Tsuna timidly looked up. "Get in" Ryo said and Tsuna didn't wait to be told twice. He ran around the van, opened the passenger's door and climbed inside of the van. "We'll make a deal. I will drive you to Yokkaichi but you're going to have to do something for me" Ryo said, glancing at the kid who make sure to place his seat belt on.

"What is it that you want me to do?" Tsuna asked. Before Ryo could speak though, Tsuna's stomach loudly rumbled. Pink started to crawl from Tsuna's cheeks to his neck.

"We'll eat first and then talk" Ryo said and Tsuna couldn't argue with that. He was starving.

* * *

"Take it easy kid" Ryo joked as he watched Tsuna wolf down the bowl of ramen. The kid who was furiously slurping the broth straight from the bowl, sheepishly smiled as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Another one over here" Ryo told the waitress and the woman snorted at him but nodded at Tsuna.

"Women don't seem to like you" Tsuna said and Ryo rolled his eyes as he took a sip of his water.

"A lot of people don't like me, not just women" Ryo said with a dry smile. Tsuna leaned back on his chair and frowned. "You learn to get used to it" he added. Tsuna opened his mouth to say something but decided against it.

"What would I have to do to get that ride to Yokkaichi?" Tsuna asked as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. Ryo took a long drag of the cigarette between his spilt lips.

"Three days ago, two punks jumped me" Ryo said, raising his shirt up so Tsuna could see the faded bruises that ran from his hairy chest to his stomach. Tsuna's face reflexively scrunched up. Ryo blew the smoke from his mouth into the air and pulled his shirt back down. "I had just made a killing at the race track in Toyoake, when they pulled a gun on me just as I was entering my van" Ryo explained as he looked out the window. "From what I heard on the streets, and my own conclusion, that robbery wasn't coincidental. Someone more specifically my former mistress told her brother about my regular 'runs'. He and his shitty friend thought that they could pull a fast one on me What they don't know is that I tracked them down and found out where they live" Ryo said as he flicked some of the ash onto his now empty bowl.

"Please don't tell me you want me to help you get revenge on them" Tsuna said with a panicked look on his face. Ryo on the other hand laughed. Now Tsuna was offended.

"If I wanted to get revenge on them, why the hell would I ask a ten year old wimp like you for help?" Ryo chuckled and Tsuna glared at him. "Besides, revenge isn't my thing. I was made to gamble not kill or fight" he added.

"So what is it that you want me to do?" Tsuna asked, confusion winning over his mortification.

"When those punks robbed me, they took something extremely irreplaceable from me. My one and only prized possession. I want it back" Ryo said as he clasped his hands on the table.

"And how exactly am I going to get it back?" Tsuna asked before thanking the woman who approached with his second bowl of ramen.

"You're going to steal it back for me" Ryo said and Tsuna was thankful he didn't start eating as yet, or he would've choked on his food.

"How...?...I don't steal" Tsuna said with a serious expression. Like he told Jin, his mother may be a killer but she had grown him up the right way and stealing as she always told him, was wrong.

"If you want that ride to Yokkaichi, you're going to have to learn" Ryo said as he crushed his cigarette in the empty bowl. "Now hurry up with that so we can get to work" he added before leaving him inside the small restaurant. Tsuna frowned and looked down at his steaming hot ramen. Ryo had just cut his appetite.

* * *

Author's notes:

Toyoake City is located in the same prefecture as the Chita Handa Station: the Aichi prefecture or so the internet says.

Just Google Toyoake to Chita Handa Station and it will show up on Google maps, if you want a clearer understanding of the geographical info that I'm throwing around.

Thanks goes out to all those who left wonderful reviews that I couldn't respond to in this chapter. Unfortunately, as you've noticed, I haven't been updating ANY of my stories because I'm swamped right now. I know I'm horrible and I'm sorry.

I'll answer all your questions in the next chapter.

PS: I know some of you have been wondering if Tsuna will kill someone and the answer is **yes**.

Bwhahaha, he will kill someone and it's going to be brutal.


	13. ChApTeR 12

Chapter twelve – Stealing is wrong (Unless you have no other choice)

Disclaimer: You know the drill

* * *

" _Stealing, of course, is a crime, and a very impolite thing to do. But like most impolite things, it is excusable under certain circumstances. Stealing is not excusable if, for instance, you are in a museum and you decide that a certain painting would look better in your house, and you simply grab the painting and take it there. But if you were very, very hungry, and you had no way of obtaining money, it would be excusable to grab the painting, take it to your house, and eat it."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Lemony Snicket**_ _,_ _ **The Wide Window**_

"There it is" Ryo said as he parked the van at the side of the street silhouetted by dim street lights. He nodded to the moderate apartments on the other side. "Apartment 302, Matsumoto" Ryo added as he switched the engine off.

"How am I supposed to get inside?" Tsuna asked and Ryo smirked before unbuckling his seat belt.

"I have it all planned out, kid. You're going to pick the lock. It's easy enough so that even a wimp like you can do it" Ryo said and Tsuna's eyes narrowed as he passed him a butter knife. "You just jam this in the side of the door until you can feel the tip of the knife against the lock. You push until you hear a click. That's when you know you're in" he said as he gave him a pair of black gloves and a blank white mask.

"And what if he's inside?" Tsuna asked as he slipped the gloves on his hands. They were warm.

"That's where I come in. I'm going to be your distraction" Ryo said as he picked up the carton of cigarettes from the dashboard before placing them in his front pocket. "While his attention is on me, you can go in his apartment" he added.

"And what is it that I'm stealing? You still haven't told me" Tsuna said, unlocking the door before sliding outside. He braced himself for the brisk, cold night's air and when it slapped against his face, he shivered.

"It's a small, rectangular, black box made of velvet. It has two silver initials H. R carved on the front" Ryo said. "Wait at the side of the building. When he comes out, that will be your signal to go upstairs and into his apartment. He'll be the one with a large scar on his chin, so he's not too hard to spot. Once he's outside, I can buy you about ten minutes of time so you'll have to be quick" Ryo added as he pulled out his phone.

"Give me your number" Tsuna said as he took out his own phone. Ryo arched an eyebrow. "So you can call me in case something happens" he explained and at the approval in Ryo's eyes, Tsuna looked away, though he was pleased.

"You're smarter than you look" Ryo said and Tsuna frowned. They exchanged numbers and Ryo held his phone up to his ear after he dialled Matsumoto's number. "Go on" he told Tsuna who shot him a nod before running cross the street. "Oi, asshole, I'm outside your fucking apartment. Get out here, I want to have a talk with you" he harshly said when his call connected. He looked up and saw when Matsumoto peeked down at him from his window. "If you don't, I'm going to fucking call the cops. Make your choice" he flipped his middle finger at the glaring man.

"Fine" Matsumoto grunted and hung up. Ryo shook his head as he threw the phone on his dashboard.

"This is going to hurt" Ryo mumbled to himself and took out the flask he always hid under his seat. He couldn't fight to save his life, but for that black box, he would risk everything.

* * *

Tsuna could hear his rushed breathing as he crouched down at the side of the building, thankful that it was dark so no one could really see him unless they were looking. The butter knife weighed down his gloved palm and he found himself thinking "Oh shit…I can't believe that I'm really doing this. I'm going to break into this man's home!" He watched as the man pushed open the glass door and walked outside in the freezing cold in nothing but a pair of shorts, an oversized coat and yellow galoshes. He was tall, even taller than his father was, with bulging muscles that not even his jacket could hide. His face was scrunched in a surly grimace when Tsuna caught sight of it as he looked both left and right before he crossed. Ryo who was still sitting inside the van, got out and Tsuna heard their muffled greetings. He knew from Ryo's quick glance his way that it was his time to act. Like Jin told him, he would have to acquaint himself to time. He checked his watch. **9:08 pm**.

Without waiting, he dashed inside, opting NOT to wear the mask for the while, though he kept his head bowed. It would be too suspicious if he wore it then. And he was right in doing so, seeing as there were people inside as he walked up the stairs. With hurried steps, his eyes darting on the name plates, he looked for Apartment 302. He was grateful that people weren't lingering outside as he slipped the mask on. "Ah, there it is" he muttered to himself and slipped the butter knife in the crack where the lock would be. "What did he say to do again?" he asked himself as he jingled the knife. _You just jam this in the side of the door until you can feel the tip of the knife against the lock._ Tsuna did as he remembered what Ryo said, but it wasn't working.

"Did you see the new movie that Yoshitaka-sama* starred in?" a voice drifted from the staircase on his left. Now that he paid attention, he could hear footsteps making their way towards him.

"Shit" Tsuna panicked and jammed the knife deeper. "Come on, come on" he urged himself as he felt for the lock with the knife.

"Yeah, it was really great. She's so beautiful, I'm jealous" someone else whined as they got closer. Tsuna pushed the knife, hoping to hear a 'Click' soon.

"Please, just open" Tsuna begged the door, and by some miracle, the long awaited 'Click' replied to his desperate plea. He pushed the door open and quickly closed it. As the women passed by, his heart was racing a mile a minute. Trying to calm himself, he looked around the dark apartment.

He knew he couldn't switch the light on, or the man would see it from where he was. So instead, he took out his phone and danced his way around the mess that was the man's living room. "A small black box" he reminded himself as he sifted through weeks' worth of laundry, porn magazines, dirty tissues (Tsuna tried not to gag and throw up), empty sake bottles, wads of crumpled up paper, used food containers and some relatively new boxes of shoes, as well as clothes. He glanced down at his watch. He had exactly five minutes left.

He continued his search on all fours, the phone in his mouth, using its dim light to dig through the man's stuff. A rotten apple core, a smelly pair of slippers and sweaty gym clothes later, he saw it. The box just as Ryo described was sitting under a photo of the man and his sister. Next to it was a gun. "Oh shit" Tsuna whispered to himself. It was a handgun. Maybe he should…no, he couldn't. Tsuna got up and grabbed the box before safeguarding it in his jacket. He checked his time again. Two minutes. Without looking back, he got out of the apartment. As he was walking down the corridor, he passed by Matsumoto who was grumbling to himself, wiping his bloodied hands on his coat.

"Next time I'll fucking kill him" Tsuna could hear the man saying. Matsumoto looked up and glanced at Tsuna as their backs were towards each other. He could feel Matsumoto's eyes boring into the back of his skull and for a minute, Tsuna thought the gruff man knew that he was in his apartment some minutes ago. Sweat dripped down his temples and in order to stop his hands from shaking, he shoved them in his pockets. "Fucking kids" he heard Matsumoto say before he got into his apartment. Like his life depended on it, he ran down the stairs. However when he got outside the building, lying next to his van in a pool of his own blood, was an unconscious Ryo.

* * *

Moments before:

Matsumoto grinned at Ryo who was collapsed on the bloody, snow peppered asphalt as his body gave out. The man hadn't even lasted a good nine minutes despite all his big talk. Matsumoto moved to enact more damage, when a gun was coldly pressed against his back. Matsumoto stiffened. "TuRn ArOuNd" someone said and Matsumoto despite his clenched fists, did as instructed. He was surprised to see that a kid was at the end of the gun. He tried not to smirk, ready to disarm the brat, when pain blossomed across his stomach. Against his will, he kneeled, the barrel of the gun now pushed against his forehead. Matsumoto felt shame burning away at him, causing for his blood to boil. Who the fuck was this kid? How could he lose against this shitty child?!

"WhEn YoU lEaVe, DoN't TuRn bACk. DoN'T loOk DoWn" the kid said who wore a clown mask. "AnSwER" he commanded in that voice that could put nails scratching against a black board to shame. When Matsumoto refused to do as he said, he got a quick jab to the face with the blunt end of the gun. How humiliating…continued to rage around in his mind.

"Yes" he conceded and the boy, guessing from his lean physique as well as his voice, stepped back.

"Go NoW" the boy said and Matsumoto slowly got to his feet. He was thinking about slamming his body against the child in a tackle, when he froze. His eyes widened. "NoW" the boy pushed his blood lust his way and Matsumoto, despite his ego walked away with his metaphorical tail between his legs.

* * *

*Yoshitaka Yuriko, a Japanese actress who is indeed quite beautiful. She's acted in We are there, and Gantz, etc.

A/N: Woo, it's been quite awhile since I've updated, hasn't it? *insert a shameless grin here* .

I'm sorry to everyone who has followed and placed this story in your favorites. It's been nearly a year or more since I've dedicated some time on my stories and I know how frustrating and shitty it can feel as a reader, when an author disappears for such a long while.

I'm not going to make excuses for my foul behaviour, but just know that I'm truly sorry for my long disappearance.

That's why I'm going to promise in the future to update more, even going as far as to create a deadline for myself and to the readers .

From now on, chapters will come every Sunday (don't know the exact time tho)

As for the new reviews, thank you every one for leaving your critical feedback and encouragement. I'll try to respond in the next chapter.

See you guys next Sunday, ;p

-Frosty


	14. ChApTeR 13

Chapter thirteen – You and I may not be that different after all

Disclaimer: I only own the loopy plot, everything else belongs to the original creator.

Warnings: Anime logic ahead, please do not expect any 'real' facts (for example, how to move an unconscious body) in this story because you're going to be disappointed. I tried to make this as realistic as I could, but there were bound to be some discrepancies.

 _ **Reader Discretion is advised.**_

* * *

" _There is some kind of a sweet innocence in being human- in not having to be just happy or just sad- in the nature of being able to be both broken and whole, at the same time."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **C. JoyBell C.**_

Ripping the gloves off his already unsteady hands, he reached out to Ryo's unmoving body that was sprawled across the asphalt. His limbs were stretched out in odd angles, with his head pillowed to the side on a patch of blood soaked snow. With his knobbly knees, he knelt and tentatively placed a sweaty palm on the man's back. "Ryo-san" he hoarsely whispered, hoping to rouse the man, while glancing at Matsumoto's apartment. They couldn't afford to stay here, he thought to himself. Trying but struggling to remain calm at their current situation, he began to think about ways in which he could get them out of the street and into Ryo's van. As he moved to push Ryo on his back, a hand swiftly whipped out and tightly grabbed him.

He flinched as unforgiving fingers latched onto the bone of his elbow. He fingered the butter knife in his pocket, as he turned.

Tsuna's eyes widened as he didn't meet the visage of Matsumoto, rather a masked boy that seemed to loom over him. Tsuna tried not to panic, as he looked up at the scary white ceramic mask of a clown's frowning face. Tsuna shivered as a hive of goose bumps broke out against his skin as the boy eerily continued to stare down at him. As the dim light from the lamppost flickered, the red paint that lined the mouth of the mask, matched the blood that stickily stained Tsuna's hands.

 _The mysterious masked boy tilted his head to the right, his eyes pierced through the bravado of the kneeling ten year old. He could see the fear edging its way in those wide brown doe like eyes, could see the adrenaline pumping through his taunt body as he tried to understand whether or not he was an enemy or not. Careless, but certainly not clueless, he smirked to himself._

"LeAvE" the boy harshly grunted as he pulled away from Tsuna. Lips trembling from the cold and the blood on his hands, Tsuna frowned.

"Are you part of this?" Tsuna asked, his hands reaching for the blunt knife in his pocket. The masked boy ignored him, and dug into Ryo's pants for his keys. Without another word, he opened the backdoor of the van and turned to Tsuna. "What are you doing? Who are you?" he questioned, but the masked boy continued to disregard the tiny ten year old.

Tsuna silently watched as the mask boy rolled Ryo on his back and he couldn't help but wince at the condition of the older man's face. His right eye had been swollen to the size of a baseball, with the added colour of an aubergine. Tsuna watched as the boy dragged Ryo by his legs towards the van, wincing at the sprinkle of yellow snow left in the man's wake.

"GrAb HiM" the boy grumbled and Tsuna flew to his feet, ready to do as he was told. He knew for sure that he couldn't trust anyone, especially someone like this boy, but he had no choice to follow his instructions at the moment, seeing as he was actually helping him. He grabbed Ryo by the feet, while the boy pulled Ryo by his shoulders. Tsuna felt the pull of his muscles, as they struggled to push Ryo into the van. "GeT iN" the boy said as he slammed the doors shut, once they managed to get the man to lay in an undignified heap in the back of his vehicle.

"Are you going to drive?" Tsuna asked and the boy seemed to roll his eyes as he walked to the front of the van, with the keys in his hands. Figuring that he had no other choice once more, Tsuna buckled himself up front seat as the boy shoved the key in the ignition. "Do you even know how to drive?" he whispered, and the boy turned to him, as he pulled off.

"No" he laughed and Tsuna's eyes turned as wide as a saucer's as he gripped onto the seatbelt for dear life.

* * *

Once they were out of the neighbourhood, Tsuna finally managed to look at the person sitting across from him. He could hear Ryo groaning in the back, no doubt in pain but ignored him for the moment. "What's your name?" he asked but the boy, who was surprisingly a better driver than he let on, hummed. When he didn't answer, he continued "Why are you helping me?"

"NaO" he whispered and pulled at the side of the street. Tsuna frowned as he shut off the engine and unbuckled his seat belt. He hadn't spoken a word since they got in the van, flat out refusing to answer any of the many questions Tsuna directed at him. "My NaMe" he gargled out and pointed at himself so that Tsuna could understand.

"Tsunayoshi" he bowed his head and Nao seemed to freeze for a moment at the gesture. "Nice to meet you" he added and Nao remained completely still, content on staring at Tsuna. He was searching for something, Tsuna realized but whatever it was, he didn't seem to find it and the tension running through his body, bled out for a while as he hopped out of the vehicle. "Wait!" he shouted as he scrambled out the van, and ran after him. "Thank you" he whispered and Nao turned around, so he watch him once more. "I…Thank you for saving me, for getting me out of there" he said and bowed so low, his nose would've touched his knees if he went any lower. He felt fingers on the meat of his arms and he was forced to look at Nao once more.

"EnOuGh" he grumbled, shaking his head and taking a step backwards from Tsuna. He may not have seen his face so far, but from the light twitching of his fingers that were held by his side, Tsuna could tell that he was nervous.

"Who are you?" Tsuna dared to ask and for a moment, he thought that the masked boy wouldn't reply, he heard the grating word, murmured with a vulnerable softness. Tsuna blinked and the masked boy released a frustrated mumble.

"AlLy" the masked boy repeated before he fled away into the darkness of the night, leaving a baffled Tsuna in the middle of the street.

* * *

Once Ryo was awake, despite the pain, the man he was currently in, he repeatedly refused Tsuna's suggestion of going to a hospital, so instead Tsuna had no choice but to help Ryo with dressing the bandages around his chest, helped apply anti-septic on his face and helped to set Ryo's nose back in place. "I told you, didn't I? I'm not a fighter" Ryo joked and Tsuna snorted as he wiped away the blood from his hands.

"Oh, yeah. Here" Tsuna said as he got out the box for Ryo. He watched as the man's face slackened with relief and love. Such strange emotions for just one box. "What is in it?" he asked as Ryo kissed it?

"Sorry, kid. I ain't going to show you what's inside" Ryo smirked as he buttoned up his shirt.

"It has to be something worthy, seeing as you nearly got yourself killed for it" Tsuna said as he sat down on the passenger's seat once more.

"It's worth my own life" Ryo said as he placed his seat belt back on. "Ugh, look at my face now. It looks like I was run over by my own fucking van" he muttered and Tsuna tried not to smirk. With clumsy hands, he placed his shirt and coat back on, before pulling his seat belt on.

Tsuna leaned against the door, watching as cars zoomed past them. Now that he wasn't taking pictures of frog men and princesses or even stealing mysterious boxes from angry ogre looking men, he felt home sick. Right now, he could have been cuddled under his blanket, reading his favourite manga or even sipping on his Mama's infamous tea. "You missing home, kid?" Ryo asked as he steered the van back into the street

"A little" Tsuna said as he stared at his own reflection. Did his father even know that he left home to go live with his grandfather? Would he even care?

"Sounds like a lot to me" Ryo off-handily commented as he clicked his tongue. The sounds of the wipers and the low foreign music filled the silence. "You know, I left my home too when I was your age. Worst experience of my life" he added.

"Did you ever go back?" Tsuna asked and Ryo released a soft, strangled groan of surprise.

"I left Italia (Italy) when I was nine years old, after my mamma (mom) died and since then, I've never returned" Ryo said with a sigh though he kept his eyes fixated on the road.

"Is your father Japanese?" Tsuna asked as he turned to Ryo who nodded. "So you moved here with your dad" he confirmed and Ryo smirked.

"Yeah, I did. My father was a real bastard you know" Ryo said and Tsuna made note of the 'was'.

"I know the feeling" Tsuna said and Ryo arched an eyebrow but Tsuna turned to the window once more.

"Is that why you're running away from home?" Ryo asked and Tsuna frowned. "Come on, there has to be a reason why you're so desperate to get to Yokkaichi. Desperate enough to get into a stranger's van and make a 'trade'. Desperate enough for you to create connections in the underground world" he added.

"Yeah, well it's complicated" Tsuna said and Ryo laughed. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"It's just strange for a ten year old kid like you to be rattling off about complications in life. It's funny because I can see myself in your shoes when I was your age" Ryo said. Tsuna hummed but didn't say anything. "So, was I right? You running away from home?" he asked again.

"No, it's more like trying to get there" Tsuna said and Ryo released a 'huh'. "Ryo-san, do you ever miss it? Your home?" he asked and it was Ryo's turn to frown as his grip on the steering wheel grew tighter.

"Every day" Ryo whispered and nodded at the snow covered road. "Every fucking day" he repeated and Tsuna closed his eyes, his own grief overwhelming him. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll wake you up when we get there" he said with a smile. Tsuna nodded and with that, fell asleep.

* * *

When he woke up, Ryo was looking at him with an amused smirk on his face. Tsuna wiped the sleep from his eyes, loudly yawned and sat up, looking out the window. They had stopped moving, and they seemed to be in…. "Yokkaichi. We made it" Ryo said and Tsuna's eyes widened.

"How long was I asleep?" Tsuna asked as he clicked the seat belt off. He looked down at his watch and saw that it was around 1:00 am*.

"If you want to get to Iga, you're going to need money but seeing as you're broke…you're going to have to rely on another Underground connection to help you out" Ryo said as he took out a black business card from his pocket. Tsuna looked at the card and saw the words 'Busty Babes' written in pink. He had to stifle the blush that threatened to appear on his cheeks.

"A friend of mine works in that 'soap land'*, as they like to call it. Her name is Rinko-chan. She will be able to help you get some cash" Ryo said and Tsuna frowned. "What?" he asked.

"I'm not going to have to do anything…..sexual am I?" Tsuna whispered, his face hot as he uttered the words. Ryo blinked as he stared at him before laughing. "Shut up, it's not funny" he muttered.

"Sorry….I forgot that you're a little kid still" Ryo said as he ruffled his hair. "And no, Rinko-chan isn't like that. It's not going to be anything too illegal" he told him and Tsuna opened the door.

"I hope not" Tsuna sighed and bowed as he got out of the van. "Thank you for all your help, Ryo-san" he said with a smile.

"I've got to say, you're one strong kid" Ryo said, a fondness tugging in his voice. "Be safe and good luck" Ryo said, taking out a stick of gum from the pack he had on his dashboard before offering it to him. Tsuna thanked him and Ryo smiled.

"You too, Ryo-san" Tsuna said and closed the door, saying goodbye to the man with a fond smile of his own. He hoped that someday, just like with Jin or even Big Aoi, he could get to see Ryo again. With the card in his hand, he looked at the directions and decided that it was time to get moving. He had to make it to Iga by six pm.

* * *

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" the bouncer asked as soon as he walked up to the 'soap land'. It was located in a seedy part of town and even though it was minutes to 1:30 am, there were a lot of people roaming the streets still.

"I'm looking for a Rinko-chan" Tsuna said and the bouncer, who was exactly as the movies portrayed him (bulging muscles, surly expression) looked down at him. "Ryo-san sent me" he added with a nervous grin.

"I think you should go home to your okaa-san, boyo" the bouncer said crossing his arms on his chest with a firm frown.

"But I need to see Rinko-chan! She's the only one that can get me to Iga!" Tsuna said as the man shook his head.

"You need to leave" the man said, giving Tsuna a little push. "This is no place for a kid like you" he added.

"You don't understand, I have to get to Iga" Tsuna said, placing his foot down (and not metaphorically that time). The man, when he saw the stubborn look on Tsuna's face, picked him up with little ease and heaved him on his shoulder. "Rinko-chan! Rinko-chan! Rinko-chan! Please, Ryo-san sent me!" Tsuna shouted as the man carried him away from the building. He kicked and screamed but the man continued to transport him to the main street, when a young woman ran out to meet them.

"Wait!" the ginger haired woman shouted as she ran on rather high heels. She clutched the front of her jacket close as she struggled to catch up to them. The bouncer turned to her, clearly surprised. "He's telling the truth" she said, huffing and puffing, the little run had apparently tired her out.

"Humph. Okay" the bouncer said and placed him down. Tsuna thanked the man who only growled before returning to his post. He turned around and bowed at Rinko.

"You must be Tsuna" Rinko smiled at him when he straightened himself. He took in her nice round eyes, her heart shaped face and gentle smile. She oddly reminded him of an aged up Cardcaptor Sakura but with different hair. He could imagine her with frilly clothes and a wand...which made stars grow in his eyes.

"Um…yeah I am" Tsuna said when she waved her hand in his face after he stopped listening or speaking to her. "Ryo-san said you would be able to help me" he quickly added.

"You need money" the girl, who was maybe around twenty five said and he nodded. "I think I can help. Go to the Love Shine Café, it's right on the main street corner. Order something warm for yourself. I'll be there in about ten minutes" she said, handing him a bit of money. He nodded and with another smile, she walked back to where she came from, leaving Tsuna to find the café that was named, Love Shine.

* * *

"Hot cocoa" Rinko cheerily said as she approached him. Tsuna who was blowing on his cup of cocoa nodded as she sat down. She was dressed in a blue dress, fluffy brown coat, high boots with her hair pulled in a ponytail, a few bangs falling over her face.

"When Ryo-kun told me that he was sending someone to help me out, I didn't think you would be this young" she said politely as she sat down. Tsuna shrugged and she chuckled. "What is your name?" she asked because she knew 'Tsuna' couldn't be his entire name.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi" Tsuna replied and he watched as she placed her chin on her open palm as she openly studied him.

"If you don't mind me asking, but why are you so desperate to get to Iga, Tsunayoshi-kun?" she asked and ordered an expresso for herself when the waiter came over.

"To get to my grandfather" was all he offered. She could see that he held his secrets close to his heart (for good reasons too) and she accepted that. Quite easily too.

"Fair enough. So let's get down to business" she said as she clasped her hands together. "You need money, right?" she asked and he nodded. "Well, if you want to earn some yen, you're going to deliver this package for me" she told him as she placed the large blue, shiny gift bag that she entered with, on the table. Tsuna looked at it with an arched eyebrow but left it as is.

"Who is it for?" Tsuna asked as he placed his cup on the table. Rinko took out her wallet from her purse and showed it to him. It was a picture of a boy, around Teruko's age with Rinko's hair.

"My son" Rinko said and Tsuna' eyes widened. "He lives with his dad and step mother. And since they don't really want me around him, I have to find a way to get this to him" she said as she gave the bag a little pat. "It's his birthday today after all" Rinko sniffed as she wiped away the tears. "I need to give him a gift at least" she whispered.

"Where do I have to deliver it?" Tsuna asked and Rinko flipped the photo to show him the messily scribbled address of the house, the boy no doubt lived in. "I'll get it to him" he added and Rinko smiled through her tears.

"I know it's probably strange for me to rely on someone so young, but you're my only change to get that gift to Yuiji-kun" she said as she hastily wiped her face.

"You must really love your son" Tsuna said and Rinko looked up at him. "Because you're doing all of this, just so you can get that gift to him" he extended his comment with a dust of pink on his cheeks when she sent a fondly inquisitive stare his way.

"I'm just a mother" Rinko gently said as the waiter came back with her order. She smiled her thanks and refocused on Tsuna. "And I can tell that you're a Mama's boy yourself" she added.

"I was" Tsuna admitted and Rinko rubbed his hand just as his mother would do when she tried to comfort him.

"You miss her" Rinko said and Tsuna nodded. "That's good, I suppose" Rinko said and Tsuna looked at her. "That's how you know you love her" she sighed as she longingly looked out the window.

"Do you always love like that?" Tsuna asked before he could stop himself. When he finally understood what he had said, he slapped his hands over his mouth. Rinko on the other hand, was just surprised at such a mature question. Not even grown men could throw such a question her way yet, she wasn't offended. She was only amused and mildly impressed.

"Always" Rinko coyly said as she sipped on her expresso. "My love is the love that leaves" she leaned forward so that only he could hear. "My love is the one that aches, that hurts. My love is only paid and not freely earned" she said with a bittersweet smile on her face.

"Beautiful" Tsuna said and he could see that the older woman was embarrassed at his praise. "Did… did you come up with that on your own?" he asked.

"It was something I thought about when I was at work" Rinko disclosed as she nestled her cup in her hands. "I always wanted to be a writer" she mumbled.

"That's cool!" Tsuna said and when she looked up, she could see the awe ingrained in his eyes. "I love to read, and I write a little myself. I always thought about becoming a writer too" he confessed as he awkwardly chuckled.

"Well, I hope that at least one of us, gets to accomplish our dreams" Rinko said and Tsuna frowned.

"It's not too late, you know" Tsuna said and Rinko shook her head. "Your job doesn't make you who you are or what you're capable of" he rattled off and Rinko could see the tears falling from her face.

Who the hell was this kid? How could he of all persons tell her the words she always yearned-no needed to hear from another human being? Why did the conviction in his voice so easily honest, sway her own self demeaning thoughts about herself? Where did this kid come from? What kind of upbringing did he hail from, that it was okay to not only work for a borderline prostitute but also to care for her?

"Besides, from what I heard, you're really good. If you wrote a book, I would read it and I think that is what matters" Tsuna said as he finished his hot cocoa.

"Thank you" Rinko whispered and Tsuna looked away as she wiped her face. "Hey, why don't we get out of here?" she asked as she got up, tucking the package under her arm. "You have a long wait before you can make it to Yuiji-kun, so why don't we get you something to eat?" she offered as she held her hand out to him.

"Don't you have work to get back to?" Tsuna nervously asked, as he looked at the street where her workplace was hidden in.

"I was ready to leave for the morning. It's fine" Rinko assured him and he hesitantly took her hand. She smiled at him. "This is going to be fun! I always wanted a little brother" she chirped and he couldn't help the grin on his face as they rushed out of the café, giddy as they walked down the street, listening as she started to sing off-key to her so-called favourite song.

He couldn't help but think that she seemed so young and innocent back then. That despite her profession both legal and illegal, she reminded him of an older Kyoko instead of Cardcaptor Sakura now that he knew her a little.

And sometimes, when he looked back on that certain moment, he would always come to regret not saving her.

 **After all…..that had been such a long time since she was granted her freedom and it would be her last.**

* * *

*According to Google (because you know, I've never been to Japan YET \O/) from Chita-Handa Station to Yokkaichi via train is 1 hr and 30 mins (approximately) and by car, it's supposed to be around an hour (1) and 1 min or even 24 mins.(it varies). If they left Ryo's mistress' brother's apartment around 9:30 pm, took the time to take cake of Ryo's injuries, the snow, as well as bathroom breaks (don't ask me where, cause I don't have a clue) it took them around maybe (roughly) 3 hours and 30 mins to get to Yokkaichi.

*A soap land is….how do I explain this? According to wiki, it's NOT a brothel but they do offer sort of sexual services…Idk, if you're interested, google it at your own discretion.

Author's notes:

[1] I just wanted to clear something up.

Even though it says that the women working in the soap land aren't prostitutes, I still referenced Rinko to be sort of like one. This was not meant to offend or imply anything about those women working there.

The reason why I wrote it like that, is because Rinko works another job where she IS a prostitute, which is of course illegal.

[2] _**~"Who dat boy, who him is?"~**_ I couldn't help myself ^O^

I'll like to introduce Nao, the strangest bean I've ever had to write about.

He's deaf, as you probably figured out, but he wears his hearing aids, which would be distracting to find, seeing as he's wearing a hideous clown mask and has long flowing, Thor-like locks that cover his ears.

You'll see more of this deranged kiddo, seeing as he's going to be one of the few people who will have to help Tsuna through this death race….

So there you have it, the latest chapter to this story. I hoped you enjoyed this, seeing as I certainly had fun writing it. I answered the last review (I mean I think I did), so if you have any more questions, you can leave them (Just try to be polite, m'kay?) and I'll try to answer them as soon as I can and to the best of my ability.

My prayers for safety also go out to all the families in Houston in such devastating times.

Thanks everyone, see you next Sunday

\- Frosty


	15. ChApTeR 14

ChApTeR fOuRtEeN – We all have daddy issues around here

Disclaimer - ;O Same old, same old

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" _One day Bird had approached his father with this question; he was six years old: Father, where was I a hundred years before I was born? Where will I be a hundred years after I die? Father, what will happen to me when I die? Without a word, his young father had punched him in the mouth, broke two of his teeth and bloodied his face, and Bird forgot the fear of death."_ _  
_ _―_ _ **Kenzaburō Ōe**_ _,_ _ **A Personal Matter**_

Seeing that it was around the only place open at that moment, Tsuna and Rinko found themselves sitting in a yakitori restaurant. "Okay, okay, tell me if you know this one" Rinko told him, a smug look on her face as she turned in her seat so they were looking at each other. Tsuna had finally found someone as obsessed as he was with books though Rinko took it to another level, seeing as she had most of her favourite passages from the books she loved, memorized. During the most of the morning they were sharing together was spent quizzing each other on the types of books they read, turning into almost a game between the two.

"I kept trying to run away. And I almost did. But it seems that reality compels you to live properly when you live in the real world" she recited, her eyes closed, her hands gripped onto the bottle of water she had been drinking from.

She could still remember the spring she had found that book. She was fifteen, still in high school, had hopes of becoming the writer her best friend had wheedle her to believe that she could become. She had always retreated to the library, seeking solace in those words written so elegant on paper bound by the love of their authors, praying that one day, that someone who was in need of her own work would find it, in some high school library, waiting to save a messed up kid like she was. But reality wasn't so kind. She wasn't meant to be eternalized by fiction as she always hoped to be. Instead, her own misery was stamped in the tiny cracks of her heart every time she had to work for that asshole, Iwao.

"A Personal Matter by Kenzaburō Ōe" Tsuna whispered and Rinko's eyes opened with a quick flurry. She wasn't exactly expecting for a ten year old to know about the book, but then again, Tsunayoshi wasn't like most ten year olds. He was extraordinarily special and he seemed to not even know it.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Rinko asked, though it was more like she was telling him. "I always wondered to myself, how a man could not even bother to go to the hospital while his wife was having HIS child. It always baffled and bothered me" she quietly said as she sipped on the water, once forgotten.

"Some say it's because he was a coward" Tsuna piped up and Rinko glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

"And what do you say?" Rinko asked him once she had recapped the water bottle. Tsuna bit into his grilled chicken before answering.

"Personally, I think a lot fathers are" he told her and he had managed to surprise her yet again. Who the hell was this kid, she found herself asking once more.

"A lot fathers are" she repeated instead of asking why he would make such a statement in the first place. A harsh smirk appeared on her face. "Certainly true" she said with a sigh, thinking about her own father and the man she had once loved, who held sole custody of the son she no longer could see.

 _Why did I ever get a worthless daughter like you?_

 _PaThEtIc_

 _You should just die, you ugly whore_

 _Do you think I want Yuiji to see you like this?_

 _Is this how a mother should dress when she comes to see her son?_

 _Rinko get the hell out of here._

 _Don't come back._

"Are you okay?" Tsuna asked when he saw how quiet she had gotten.

"I'm fine" Rinko said and though he knew she was anything but, he continued eating because she wasn't a woman who seemed to favour anyone's pity. "It's scary, you know" she said as she resumed eating as well. "Being a parent" she added as she stared out at the empty streets and dim lights. Tsuna hummed but didn't reply because he knew that she wasn't actually waiting for his reply.

As they ate in a relative silence, he thought about his own father. He had ignorantly thought that with the man's death in the drugged dream that he had forgiven him for abandoning him for all those years. For outright ignoring him. For the fear that he saw one day in his father's eyes when he thought Tsuna couldn't see him.

He unwittingly thought that he could just forget the pain that Iemitsu's cowardice had brought, only for his past feelings to re-emerge.

He was blaming his father for this torment that he found himself in. Having to take part in some death race, he didn't want to participate in the first place.

But then again, his brain threw at him, you're a coward for blaming him.

"What got you into books?" Rinko asked when she noticed that he was losing himself to his thoughts.

"It's kinda cliché" Tsuna said and Rinko arched an eyebrow at him. "I was bullied a lot and seeing as I was never interested in any kind of sports, reading was the only way I could occupy myself" he told her.

"So, books were your friends" Rinko teased and he rolled her eyes at her as she laughed.

"It wasn't like I was friendless or anything. I had a friend. I have a best friend, her name is Kyoko-chan" Tsuna said and blushed when she mockingly released an exaggerated 'OOOH?!' They shared a short laugh and finished up the last of their meal. Now that his stomach was full, he was starting to feel sleepy again but he knew he couldn't fall asleep because….well he didn't exactly have a place to lay his head at the moment.

"You look tired" Rinko commented as she watched him. He yawned and looked at his wrist watch. **2:30 am**. Damn, he still had a long time until he could even dream to go to Yuiji's house to deliver the gift. "Hey, come on" she said nudging him by the shoulder. He rubbed his eyes and looked at her as she paid for their food.

"Where are we going?" he asked and Rinko gently helped him up.

"To my crummy apartment where you can get some sleep. Ryo-kun told me that you've been travelling for a while now, so I can only expect how exhausted you must be" Rinko said with a motherly tone of voice, no room for argument.

"I'm in your care" he said as he bowed and Rinko shook her head at him.

"You're a strange one, Tsunayoshi-kun" Rinko told him as she gently guided him down the street. "Take pride in that" she whispered with a woeful smile on her face, something her own mother had told her, what felt like eons ago.

* * *

 _The first time he notices that he hates his father, it's been a year since his sister entered their family. Unlike before, when the sound of his father entering their home, with his sack of dirty laundry over his shoulder and his face covered in dirt, would thrill him, Tsuna has come to avoid it. He doesn't like the way his father refuses to look at him. He hates that his father smothers his sister with all of his love when he can't even say hi to Tsuna without looking away. When he asks his mother about it, she just laughs at his concern, assuring him that 'Papa loves you, Tsuna-kun. He would never be able to hate you" but Tsuna isn't so sure anymore._

 _So as he's learned to shut out the world, especially on those days when Eiji would deliberately pour juice on his pants and lie to the class saying he peed himself, he would go to the library with his mother, to greet old Mrs. Hayashi._

 _It's then, that Tsuna finally tears apart the little relationship he had with his father._

 _As they are walking in the place that Tsuna loves as much as Disneyland itself, he knows that something is wrong. Kind, Mrs. Hayashi isn't there to warmly welcome him with her familiar thick glasses on a wrinkled face. The smell of moth balls and mint which he comes to acquaint Mrs. Hayashi with, isn't there. He tugs on his mother's dress with a frown as he watches the new librarian._

 _"Where is Mrs. Hayashi?" Tsuna pouts and the man who seems to be around his mommy's age, hears him._

 _"Oh, do you know her?" the man politely asks as he moves from behind the counter. He doesn't like the man. Not because he isn't kind or anything, it's just he isn't Mrs. Hayashi. Even he doesn't know why he likes Mrs. Hayashi so much. Maybe it's because she is always recommending the best books or the way that she sees when he's sad when not even his parents can. It's maybe because when she does see that he wants to cry, she secretly tucks some candies in his pocket, a secret they share together._

 _"A little" his mother says and the man smiles. "Did something happen to her?" she asks and Tsuna sees that he is hesitant to say what he wants to, especially since Tsuna's there._

 _"She died three days ago" the man whispers, thinking that Tsuna won't be able to hear him. Three days ago? That's when his father arrived home. That's how long his mother refused to carry him to the library._ _ **This is all HIS fault**_ _. Tsuna doesn't even know when tears starts to run down his chubby cheeks._

 _"Oh, Tsuna-kun" his mother soothes him as she picks him up and he buries her face on her chest as he starts to wail._

 _When they get home, Tsuna is still crying on his mother's shoulder. Even though her sleeve of her dress is soaked with snot and tears, she doesn't complain. His father who meets them in the kitchen, frowns though when he sees Tsuna's puffy eyes as his mother sets him down on the chair. "I'll make you some nice warm tea" His mother whispers as she kisses him on the forehead. His father who is holding Teruko in his arms, looms over Tsuna._

 _"Why is he crying?" he asks his mother but his mother refuses to turn from her spot where she's placing some water in the kettle._

 _"Tsuna-kun got some sad news today, dear. Mrs. Hayashi passed away" his mother explains as Tsuna rubs his eyes with his hands. He tries not to cry again._

 _"Mrs. Hayashi, who is that?" his father asks as he sits down. Tsuna refuses to look at him. He ignores him just as Iemitsu is ignoring Tsuna._

 _"She worked at the library, honey. She was friends with Tsuna-kun. She was so nice" his mother comments. Iemitsu finally looks at Tsuna._

 _"Oh" he says and Tsuna finds that his voice is annoying. He finds that he hates everything about his father. His voice. His hair. His stupid grin. His stupid face. Everything. "I'm so-…." He is starting to say but Tsuna cuts him off when he jumps off his chair._

 _"Mama, I'm sleepy. I'm going to my room" he says as he turns to leave. He can't stand to be in the same room as his father._

 _"Tsunayoshi" his father calls and it's only because of his mother that he obeys by staying. "Listen, I know that you're sad but…." He was going to lecture him but Tsuna couldn't take it anymore. The frustration, the grief overpowers him._

 _"This is your fault!" Tsuna shouts and even his mother is surprised by his outburst. "If you hadn't come home, if Mama had just taken me to the library, then I would've gotten to see her!" he cries but his father remains calm as the little boy rants._

 _"And what good would that have been? She still would have died" his father retorts and Tsuna's face turn cherry red with rage._

 _"Iemitsu-kun!" his mother exclaims but before she has time to reprimand her husband, Tsuna mumbles something that makes even the blonde freeze. "Tsuna-kun!" she admonishes her eldest child, who has his head bowed and fists clenched._

 _"I hate you" Tsuna bellows at the top of his lungs before running away._

 _His father had left the next morning and didn't return six months after that._

 _Even now, that he's ten, he had never apologized for his statement and it's the last time, since he had any sort of conversation with his father._

* * *

Tsuna woke up once more with the smell of lavender, his face buried in a soft pillow. He can hear Rinko bustling around in her kitchen when he sits up in the futon, the only one that Rinko had, that she sacrificed for Tsuna just so he could get some shut eye. He stretched and looked at his watch. **8:30 am.** It wasn't exactly a healthy dose of eight hours but it would have to do.

He stood up and rubbed his neck as he took in Rinko's room. If he had to describe it, the word bare came to mind. Just a futon, a closed walk in closet and a dressing table spilling with Rinko's makeup. He fixed the futon a little before he walked into the kitchen that held only a square table and two chairs.

The kitchen wasn't as bad as the bedroom. There was a single sink with a window above it that held a potted plant on the still, a small fridge that was fairly rusted and a rice cooker. Rinko had changed into a large t-shirt and sweat pants, her hair pulled in a messy ponytail.

"You're finally up" Rinko said as she turned around. Now that all the makeup was gone, he see that heavy bags under her eyes and the few black marks on her cheeks. He found himself thinking about how strange this Rinko was from the Rinko had he met last night.

"Morning" Tsuna said as he sat down. She smiled at him as she got out two bowls from her cupboards.

"All I have is cereal. I hope that will do" Rinko said as she got out the box of Kellogg's Corn Flakes, you know the one with the green roster on it?

"It's fine" Tsuna said as she opened her fridge to get the carton of milk. Unlike the one back home which was always filled to the brim with food, Rinko's hardly had any.

"Class A breakfast" Rinko said as she handed him a spoon and sat down in the seat opposite from his. Tsuna snorted as she lamely laughed. He tossed some of the cereal in his own bowl as Rinko filled hers with milk before they switched. "What do your mom usually cook in the mornings?" Rinko dared to ask as they decided to just dig in. It felt useless to them to say "Itadakimasu" * for just Corn Flakes.

"You know your average Japanese breakfast. Rice, miso soup, maybe an egg or something" Tsuna shrugged as he scooped up a helping of flakes on his spoon with some milk.

"Is your mom a housewife or does she work?" Rinko asked and Tsuna gulped down the cereal on his spoon.

"She's a housewife" Tsuna replied. This wasn't so bad, Tsuna thought to himself.

"Sounds like my mom" Rinko said and Tsuna looked up at her. "She has been a housewife for all her life. She doesn't believe in women working" she sneered as she shook her head. Tsuna held his tongue, seeing as it was a sore topic with the woman. "I was thinking about your statement last night. You say a lot of fathers are cowards but when I think about it, the truth is, most parents are. Not just the scum bag fathers" she said as she wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her t-shirt.

"Do you hate her?" Tsuna asked and Rinko, who had continued eating, looked at him.

"As much as I hate my father" Rinko said as she leaned back on her chair. "She always stood there and did nothing. Not when he took out his frustration on me. Not when he would corner me or beat his own miseries down on me with his unforgiving fists. She just locked herself in her room. Just continued to pretend like everything was okay even when the next day rolled around, and she could see the bruises hidden by my uniform" Rinko whispered.

It had been years since she left home that she confessed to anyone that her father physically abused her. Because unlike before, no one was interested in her broken past. No one cared. And it was ironic and a little sad, that a ten year old who she didn't even know was more considerate than the men she knew for months, who always 'bought' her. It was kind of pathetic, she found herself thinking, that the only person she could confide in was a kid.

"I believe that if you were to look up the meaning of father, you would find the word coward lying next to it" Tsuna whispered and when their eyes met, she could see an equal amount of sadness in his own. She reached out and held his hand.

"Life is unfair" Rinko said and for a while, they remained in her kitchen, listening to nothing but the beating of their own hearts.

* * *

A Personal Matter by Kenzaburō Ōe is such a beautiful book. Just magnificent. It's a book about the protagonist whose name is Bird who has to deal with the fact that his son is born with a brain deformity and his own cowardice as he struggles with whether or not he should follow his dreams of going travelling to Africa, or stay with his family while supporting his son (my own summary). If you want to know what it's exactly about, you should find it yourself and read it. It's a really great read.

*Itadakimasu – all the people who watch anime should know what that means by now.

General notes:

Tsuna thinks that he's okay with his father now, but through this chapter and the previous ones, he finds that he still hasn't forgiven his father for 'abandoning' him. The fact that, he's still pissed at the man, is something he finds out when he interacts with Ryo and Rinko. It's going to be something he has to deal with.

Abandonment regardless if Iemitsu didn't plan on intentionally committing such an act towards his son, is really horrible.

And those who are willingly abandoned by their parents, will always nurse that scar in their hearts.

Author's notes: I'm a mess. I'm sorry that I didn't upload yesterday...Stuff happened...Mostly life...I haven't gotten around to the new reviews as yet, will do soon. If it's urgent, don't hesitate to pm me.

-Frosty


	16. ChApTeR 15

Chapter fifteen – Sacrifices that we're willing to make

Disclaimer:

WARNING: REFERENCES TO SEX (NOTHING MUCH), ABUSE AND VIOLENCE

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"I guess that's just part of loving people: You have to give things up. Sometimes you even have to give them up."

― Lauren Oliver, Delirium

After breakfast and a quick shower, Tsuna stood outside of Rinko's apartment, the woman wearing her usual 'work' clothes. She was wearing a short black dress with the same coat but different black boots. With the gift bag in his hand, he was ready to get to Yuiji's house. He glanced at his wrist watch. **9:00 am**. "This is for you" Rinko said as she walked down the stairs. He looked at the plain black, backpack she was offering and he shook his head. "Hush and take it, Tsunayoshi-kun" she forced the bag onto him. "Besides, I haven't used that since I graduated from high school" she said with a wistful tone of voice.

"I…..you're doing so much for me" he said and she ruffled his hair, an act that made him oddly homesick as he thought of Kyoko. Rinko, despite the fact that he had just met her last night, felt like the older sister he never had. She looked out for him. She provided him with food, money, shelter and now this. Everything she did, cemented his belief that she was a great person.

"Hey, don't worry about it Tsunayoshi-kun. We're two of a kind, you know" Rinko said as she placed money in his hand. He tried to refuse it, seeing as he hadn't completed the job as yet but she forced him to take the money. "It's okay, Tsunayoshi-kun. Just come see me when you leave, okay?" she made him promise and he nodded.

"I will" Tsuna said and she patted his head, a gesture he had performed his sister. "I'll get this gift to Yuiji-kun" he promised as well.

"I'm counting on you" Rinko said and with a smile, they left on their separate ways.

* * *

Rinko felt dirty as she slipped the thigh high socks on her feet, the thong riding up in places that began to feel uncomfortable but like the pain of her existence, she grew used to it. She could hear her colleagues (could she even call them that?) gossiping around her, some even throwing a few looks her way. She stood up straighter while she adjusted her cleavage. "Is it true, Rinko-chan?" one of the girls whispered as they crowded her. Rinko who was staring at her face in the mirror, applied blood red lipstick on her lips. "Is it true that you disobeyed Iwao-sama, AGAIN?" they asked. Rinko wanted to roll her eyes at them, when a rapt knock came from the black door.

"Rin, you're up" a voice called and Rinko frowned as she flung her hair over her shoulder. As she strode across the room, the door opened into one of the 'private rooms' that only special patrons were allowed access to. Mark's eyes softened at her. That big American softie.

"Make sure and get that ticket for me, okay?" she whispered and he gave her a nod, before she entered the dimly lit room that smelled like stale sex. When she pushed past the curtains, she could see her latest 'client', waiting for her on the bed, flinging his jacket on the dresser. He looked like those men who would see in those cubicle offices, with the well prepared bento that his 'perfect' wife made for him after she bid him farewell at the door like it was her duty. Rinko shoved the sneer down and propped her high heeled leg on the bed, as the man's eyes grew wide with revolting lust. "Are you ready for me?" she asked and he eagerly nodded. She had to try her best not to vomit.

* * *

Yuiji's house was fairly nice, average, and modern, something like Tsuna's own home in Namimori. The neighbourhood was nice too. Tsuna with his backpack strapped on, the camera he had gotten from Aoi secured around his neck, the money he got from Rinko in his pocket, the knife secured in his jeans, he stood outside in the cold. He was watching the house for an entire minute since he got off the bus and walked to the house. It wasn't like he could just go up and ring the doorbell before saying "Hey, can you give this to Yuiji-kun? His mother, the one you don't want him to see, sent it".

He glanced at the side, watching as parents and children moved towards the house, most of them looking his way. Which was justifiable because a kid all by himself in the cold, staring a house with a wistful look on his face, would warrant curious concern. An older woman waddled over to him, after having exited a red Toyota, a gift of her own in her hands and a son around Yuiji's age at her side. "Are you lost, little boy?" she politely asked.

"I don't know if I have the right address" Tsuna nervously said as he rubbed behind his neck. A lie of course, but he couldn't exactly say why he was there or what he was supposed to do.

"Are you looking for someone?" the woman asked as her son peered up at Tsuna with rather large eyes.

"My sister is in Yuiji-kun's classroom but she got sick. She insisted I bring this over to him" Tsuna explained and he surprised even himself with the quick thinking. The woman released an 'Aha' and gently grabbed his elbow.

"The party is just inside there, my dear. Why don't you come inside with me and my son, Goro-kun" the woman said and 'Goro' kept staring at him. Creepy kid.

Tsuna bowed and thanked her. She introduced herself as Hada something and when she asked for his name, as well as his sister's, he knew he couldn't give her the real thing. So he improvised. He forced himself to trip and fall.

Goro giggled when he fell flat on his face while Mrs. Hada released a high pitched scream of surprise. "Are you okay?!" she asked as she had to help him up. Tsuna sheepishly smiled as he brushed off some snow off his face and coat.

"Hada-san, is everything alright out here?" a beautiful woman asked as she opened the front door. She was wearing a blue sweater, a straight black skirt, and pearls around her neck while her ebony coloured hair was held in a strict bun. That must be the step mother.

"Oh, yes. We're okay" Mrs. Hada said as they walked up to the house. "This boy, his sister is in Yuiji-kun's class but because she's sick, he came to deliver the gift" she explained as the step mother looked at him. He was expecting her to be as evil as the fairy tales depicted her, but the woman just welcomed them into the house.

"This is for Yuiji-kun" Tsuna presented her with the gift and the woman softly laughed at his very formal actions.

"Why thank you. I'm sure he will love it" the woman said as she took the offered gift. Tsuna nodded. "Would you like to come in and join us?" she asked and Tsuna wanted to hesitate. "There's cake" the woman said and Tsuna was tempted by the offer, but he had to decline. His story was flimsy as it was, if they started to ask too much questions, he didn't know if he would be able to maintain the lie.

"I have practice" Tsuna blurted out and the woman arched an eyebrow. He nervously laughed. "Plus my Mama told me not to stay out too late" he explained.

"That's too bad" the woman said and placed the gift on the table where the others were sitting.

"I'll just go" Tsuna said and was going to leave, when he felt someone pull on his coat. When he looked down, he saw the birthday boy himself staring up at him. He was the splitting image of his mother. And it hurt to know that she couldn't even get to see her son on his birthday.

"Do you like cars?" the boy asked and Tsuna looked at the mini model of a car in his hand.

"I guess" Tsuna said and the boy just smiled. Yup. Exactly like Rinko. He gently uncurled the fist that was holding onto his coat and turned to leave.

"You can take a picture for her, you know" the step mother said once Mrs. Hada and Goro had fully entered the house, leaving the three standing on the genkan. Tsuna froze and felt his hands grow clammy. "I know that gift wrapping skills anywhere" she said, having peeked inside the bag. Tsuna turned to see Yuiji standing next to his step mother who wore an amused look on her face.

"I….she just wanted him to get the gift" Tsuna pleaded and the step mother took out the gift before giving it to Yuiji.

"Take one of him holding it. I know she will love it" the woman said and Tsuna immediately listened. The step mother moved out of the way as Yuiji meticulously looked at the square gift, wrapped in nice red wrapping paper with tiny cars on them. He snapped a few as Yuiji moved to open the gift, just as his step mother had whispered him to and when he saw the remote controlled car, his eyes lit up.

"I LOVE IT!" Yuiji shouted and Tsuna who was taking out pictures, smiled. "Thank you!" Yuiji said to him and Tsuna quickly snapped a picture of the boy looking directly at the camera.

"Honey?" a male voice asked and Tsuna knew that must be the father. Warning signals went off in his head as he saw panic on the step mother's face.

"I'll go" Tsuna said and she nodded quickly as she guided him to the door. "Thank you" he whispered and she smiled at him.

"Rinko-chan isn't a bad person" she said to him as she held the door, closing it so her husband wouldn't see his face. "Whoever you are, thank you for helping her" she added and Tsuna nodded as she closed the door before her husband could get to him. With that, he hurried away from the door, just in time too, because the man had rushed out to see who had left the gift for his son. Now that his job was completed, he would get to see Rinko before he headed off to Iga.

* * *

Rinko's skin crawled as the man grunted on top of her. He was whispering "You're so good, God Yes…." as Rinko stared at the ceiling, lifeless as ever. She would mutter a forced 'Mmmm' or a reluctant 'right there' at appropriate times to please the man but Rinko could feel disgust clawing at entire being as the man continued. "You're not what your job makes you" Tsuna had told her…Tears leaked out of her eyes as she flung a hand over her face.

It wasn't like she hadn't tried. When she went to Tokyo to live out her dreams, she had gotten rejected by all those publishing houses she foolishly believed would publish her book. None of them had the courtesy to even read what she poured her heart into. They looked at her young pretty face and told her "Why don't you go into modelling instead? A girl like you isn't cut out for this" Rinko had politely taken her manuscript back, bowed and left as she always did. With her hopes destroyed by words that should be flattering but weren't.

After three months of living off the money she had stolen from her parents after she ran away, she realized that it wasn't going to last. To make ends meet, she started to work in a supermarket, had to deal with the harassment from her boss who made it his mission to grope her ass, every time he got.

She tried looking for other places to work, but a high school graduate without a college degree wasn't exactly what they wanted.

So she continued to work there, until the boss tried to rape her. She decided enough was enough and left to live with a friend in Yokkaichi.

Her former best friend had willingly offered her own apartment and kindly allowed her to live there for free while she searched for another job.

However, just in Tokyo, she couldn't get anything.

Until, her best friend told her about her own job. She had seen the nice clothes that she wore, envied the roses that were sent on her doorstep every morning and the new jewellery that seemed to pop up every other day. One day it would be a ruby necklace, the other a pair of diamond earrings.

"There's great benefits" her best friend persuaded her, just as she had done before, in making Rinko believe that she could be somebody in the world of fiction. "Come talk to my friend, Iwao-san, he'll hook you up" she promised her and ever the naïve fool, Rinko believed her.

Three days later, she was forced on her knees to suck cock for a living.

"Welcome to the family, Rinko-chan. You'll love it here" Iwao smugly told her and she knew by the way he loomed over her, that she wouldn't.

Even now, she didn't.

Sensing her lack of participation, the man shifted away from her, his naked body pulled away from hers.

"What the fuck is your problem?" he asked. She was downright sobbing. All he wanted was a quick fuck. Rinko curled into herself as her sobs turned into laughter.

"There's just so much I can take" she screamed in the pillow and the man grabbed up his clothes. Fuck this. As he placed his boxers back on, his boner already wilted.

She thought about her best friend, the girl who had overdosed on cocaine and died some years ago. Who had left her to live this shitty life she brought to Rinko's doorstep.

She thought about the one man who made her fall in love with him, who turned his back on her, when he found out what she did for a living.

She thought about the day she found out she was pregnant, when she stood in the doctor's office crying as the nurse tried to calm her down.

She remembered coming to love the mistake that turned into the best thing in her life.

She remembered the nine months she spent alone only to have that fucking bastard swoop in, right after she gave birth to Yuiji, saying that he was going to fight for his son.

She remembered, as weak as she was, Yuiji screaming in the hospital room, as Rinko attacked him. "You have no right!" Rinko shouted at him as they battled it out until the doctors had to pull them apart.

She had yelled the same thing when he gained full custody of their son, who was only three years old back then. "You have no right!" she cried but even the judge who had dished out the verdict, only turned her nose up at her.

Like always there weren't anyone to save Rinko and she found herself drowning in her own sorrows.

She screamed again, punched the pillow and when the man heard the faint word of 'shameful', he turned to her.

"What did you say?" he asked and pulled her by the hair. She laughed, mascara blotching her skin and distorting her face. It wasn't even meant for him…..it was all for her. Thinking that the broken smile was a taunt, she didn't even see the punch coming her way.

"Do you beat your wife like that?" she urged and he just turned red in the face before rushing out, just in time too…..seeing as Mark-san had entered.

"Rinko" Mark whispered and she cried as he wrapped his jacket on her shivering shoulders.

* * *

Preview -

Three hours later:

"Where did she go?" he asked, dramatically rolling up the sleeves of his shirt as he approached the man tied up on the wooden chair. He whistled at the man who couldn't even keep his head upright. "You are one cruel motherfucker, Abe" he smirked as he gave his jacket to one of this underlings.

"I aim to please, sir" Abe said as he bowed to his employer. Iwao chuckled and stood in front of the man. Out of his ten fingers, eight were broken. His right eye was missing, scooped out with a very rusty spoon (the two were on the table on the left), his teeth were strewn on the floor (the pliers that was used was on the table), and his right cheek was charred as a mark was branded on his face. Abe, the one who had obeyed his orders, sneered at the man whose clothes had been tattered to pieces in the assault.

"You going to tell me where she went now?" Iwao asked as he stooped down in front of the man.

"I don't know" the man cried out and Iwao sighed. He stood up and with a quick kick, threw the man with the chair sideways on the already dirty floor. "I DON'T KNOW!" the man screamed as he struggled with the ropes searing through his flesh.

"Check her apartment, look for any clues you can find. The other girls said that they saw her with a kid, find him. I want to know who the fuck that kid is and if it comes down to it, bring me hers" Iwao commanded to one of his henchmen that were standing guard at the door. He nodded and walked out the room. Iwao turned to the man who was sobbing on the floor.

How shameful. He was one of his best bodyguards, now he was lying in his own piss and shit, crying like a three year old.

"You always had a soft spot for that bitch. Do you think I didn't know you wanted to fuck her?" he asked, pressing his weight down on the man's face. "The only thing I could never understand was why Rinko? Why the slut you were ordered to guard?" he questioned as he stooped down to look at the man whose eyes could barely stay open.

"Maybe he loved her" Abe smirked and Iwao glared at him. "Sorry boss" he mumbled as he shrank back.

"Love" Iwao scoffed and turned to the other men in the room. "Do you hear this idiot?" he asked and they chuckled while Abe pouted. "Love" Iwao shook his head. "It's stupidity, not love. You were stupid enough to think that you would get away with disobeying me" Iwao said as he stood up, taking up the 9 mm with the silencer attached to, the one his subordinate had handed over to him. "Such a shame, you were a good slave" he added and he pulled the trigger, releasing two bullets in his skull. He gave the gun to Abe and told him "Take out the trash". Abe nodded and as Iwao walked out the room, he pretended not to notice the blood splattered, overturned picture, with the words "To my American softie" scribbled on the back.

* * *

A/N: It's been awhile since I promised to update every Sunday but as I've said, I'm a mess.

Some stuff happened that threw me off my game and I know it's not a good enough excuse but...Sigh.

I didn't even get to read any reviews AGAIN, so I'll try to get to that asap.

I'll be better guys, just have patience with me and my shitty ways.

-Frosty


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen – This is where I leave you

Disclaimer :

Warning: Violence, creepy pedo vibes, vulgar language and feelings.

* * *

"To say goodbye is to die a little"

Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye

Having stopped off at a photocopying place, Tsuna was happy when he walked up to Rinko's workplace. He had managed to get the pictures printed and he couldn't wait for Rinko to see them! He was excited that he would get to help the woman whose kindness could never be fully returned. However as soon as he saw her standing outside, no bouncer in sight, with shades over her eyes and a cigarette between her lips, he knew something was wrong.

"Rinko-san!" Tsuna said as he ran up to her. Even the aura around her was different from when they parted that morning. Rinko forced a smile his way and he stopped before he could meet her.

"How did it go?" she asked and the hoarseness of her voice gave away the fact that she had been crying. Usually he would've asked what was wrong, but the hint of a purple bruise poking free from those black shades told him all he needed to know.

"Here" Tsuna said as he handed her the envelope. He watched as she opened it with shaky hands, having thrown away the cigarette and stomped on it. He watched as tears slipped down her cheeks as she saw her son gladly accept her gift. She tried to stifle down her sobs but she couldn't help it. She openly wept in front of him.

"Oh….Kami…It's been such a while" she whispered as her thumb ran across his pictured face lovingly.

"How long?" Tsuna asked as he held onto the straps of his backpack. She hugged him instead of answering. "That long, huh" he whispered and Rinko nodded as he pulled away.

"This…I can never thank you for this, Tsunayoshi-kun. This is the best thing someone has ever done for me" she said and Tsuna shifted his weight on his feet, a little embarrassed. Before he could register what was going on, she took out more money from her cleavage and hastily placed them in his hands.

"Rinko-chan…" Tsuna was ready to complain but she stopped him.

"This is for you too" Rinko said and handed him a train ticket. "I know you would have difficulty getting one, so I had Mark-san help me get one for you" she added, though he had no idea who was Mark-san.

"She told me to tell you something" Tsuna said and Rinko arched her eyebrow as he tucked the ticket safely in his backpack with the map as well as the guidebook from Aoi. Before he could explain, the bouncer walked out of the building, a worried look on his face.

"Rinko, the boss wants to see you" he said and frowned at Tsuna.

"He's okay, Mark-san" Rinko said and Tsuna whispered an 'Oh'. "Tsunayoshi-kun, I think it's time you get on that train" she told him as she hurriedly fixed up her face to look like she wasn't crying. He could tell something was wrong, that whoever that boss was, he was bad news. She was in pain. Tsuna knew that.

She could see that he was battling with himself, no doubt ready to help her and it warmed her heart to know that he was willing to be her knight in shining armour even though he held no power to do so. "Its okay, Tsunayoshi" she whispered and kissed him on his cheek. "We can't all be saved" she told him with the saddest fucking face that screamed for him to do just that. "Go find your grandfather, Tsunayoshi. Go home" she said as Mark guided her towards the building.

Without warning, Tsuna pushed past Mark and grabbed Rinko's hand. "Tsunayoshi-kun what are you doing?" she asked with a startled gasp. She had to stop Mark from approaching them. She looked down when he tugged her arm.

"Saving you" he said and their gazes locked, she couldn't help the teary smile from etching its way onto her face.

"Rinko-chan" Mark said, a warning for them both. Rinko looked at her friend and he sighed at the conviction in her eyes. "Iwao won't let you go, you know this" he told her as he ruffled his head, before glancing at the building behind them.

"Come with us" Rinko said as she took his hands. Mark looked at her, and he wished he could say yes but….. "We can be free, Mark-san" she pleaded and he squeezed her hands.

"I'll buy you some time" Mark said as he pulled away. Rinko frowned but Mark gave her a gentle kiss on both cheeks. "You need the freedom more than I do" he whispered near her ear and when he straightened his back, he wiped away the tears that ran down her cheeks.

"Thank you" Rinko said as she attacked him with a hug. Mark chuckled and ran his thick fingers through her hair.

"Look after her for me, okay kid?" Mark gruffly asked and Tsuna gave him a serious nod. "Alright, now go" Mark told her as he pulled away from her. Rinko quickly wiped her face and grabbing Tsuna's hand, they ran as fast as they could without looking back.

* * *

From the moment they returned to her apartment, she knew she made the wrong decision. Rinko locked the front door and watched the confusion etch its way on Tsuna's face as she gripped her hair in her hands. "Fuck!" She screamed and flinched when a tiny hand landed on her shoulder. Brown eyes were worriedly looking down at her and bile threatened to burn a hole in her throat. "I shouldn't have left! I have to-I!" She shouted as she grabbed on the door knob, ready to beg Iwao for forgiveness. A tug to her wrist stopped her rattled rants and Tsuna smiled sadly at her.

"Listen to me" he commanded and her shoulders drooped. "You have to leave. If not for yourself but for your son. Yuiji, he misses you" he added and her lower lip trembled. "He will only get to see you, if you leave this behind you" he whispered as he wrapped his hands around her shoulders. " Sometimes, you are the only person who can save yourself" he told her and she dropped her face in the space between his neck and his delicate shoulder. He was so fragile and bony as she clung to him, afraid and unsure. He was the only thing, grounding her through her hurricane of emotions. She didn't' move for a while, messing up the shoulder of his shirt, with mascara and snot, but like the gentleman he was, Tsuna didn't' complain. He patiently waited until she was finished, running nimble fingers through her hair as her body shook with her sobs, as her fatigue finally caught up with her. How could he even offer up comfort to the one person who was putting him in this mess, in the first place? Where did his strength come from? How did he manage to get up even after all the times people threw him to the ground? For what felt like the hundredth time, she wondered exactly who this kind boy was.

Having cried enough, she pulled away and wiped her face with the sleeve of her coat. She could feel his gaze on the ugly black swelling of her eye, and she patted his cheek. He was the only light in her life, and like a deranged moth, she felt herself gravitate towards him. She would follow his advice. For her son.

She felt motivated for the first time in years. She took him by the hand and smiled.

"Help me pack" she said and she led him to her bedroom. Shoving some clothes in a bag, she grabbed the little possessions she had, ready to run, ready to start over…when a shadow crossed the window. "Shit" she hissed under her breath as her hands began to shake. A cold numbness crept over her body as realization took root in her mind. They found her

She would never get away, but that didn't mean Tsuna couldn't. She could still save him.

Tsuna's eyes widened and she slapped a hand over his mouth before he could say anything. She pulled him by the arm, half dragging him to the bathroom. She quietly opened the window, just as they heard someone smash down her front door. She could see the protest in his eyes as she lifted him up, but they knew, deep down that this would be as far as she could get. "Run and don't look back" she demanded, even as a muscular man grabbed her by the throat. Tsuna fumbled as she screamed and kicked against her attacker. Another man rushed in and made a grab for him, but he pulled his legs up, evading the gloved hands. "Run!" She shrieked, kneeing the man in the crotch, giving her enough time to slip out of his hold. The other man punched her in the stomach and Tsuna reached out as she crumpled to the floor.

"Run and we will kill her" the man threatened as he pulled her up by the hair. She was doubled over in pain, clear liquid dribbled down her chin as Tsuna sat on the window pane. "Get down here, boy" the man sneered and Tsuna hesitated. Even as he moved to run, he could see Rinko asking him to stay, to save her. If he left, it would stain his soul, but if he stayed, it meant not completing the race, it meant never seeing Teruko again, it meant never getting home. "But"… he thought looking at Rinko, he wasn't the only one who had a home or people he needed to go to. So, with a heavy heart, he obeyed. He ignored Rinko and her soft sobbing because he had been the one to convince her to run, the least he could do was remain at her side. He allowed the man to push him out of the bathroom and into the kitchen where a man sat at the table, sipping on a cup of tea. He was a handsome man, with skin as fair as any he had seen, dark eyes that spoke of nothing but danger and a cruel smirk on sakura pink lips. He was lean and tall, a posture you can see even when he was sitting. He wore a simple white shirt, black pants on long legs that stretched as they were crossed, and a coat that was folded on his lap. His fingers were decorated with silver rings and a gold Rolex sat heavily on his wrist. On his neck there was a black tattoo of a snake that seemed to move as he twisted his head. His black hair was neatly cut, the sides shorter than the top, the 'hip' styles he had seen some of his classmates taken in their quest of popularity. When Tsuna was forced on his knees, his gaze grew sharper. "And you are?" He asked, his voice as slimy as they came.

"He has nothing to do with this, Abe! Leave him alone!" Rinko begged and with a nod from Abe, the one who captured Rinko, swiftly kicked her in the stomach. Tsuna clenched his teeth as she vomited blood. Cold fingers bruised his chin as Abe looked down at him.

"Your name, boy" he harshly ordered and Tsuna bit his finger when the man used the pinky to scratch his nose. Abe laughed and waved his hand, as the others moved towards them. Tsuna could see pity in one of their eyes, and he knew what this man would give and take.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He was in deep shit.

How would he get out of this?

His mind raced, struggling to come up with a plan even as his kneecaps burned from exertion but terror kept his mind blank.

He looked at Rinko who was pressed against the floor, a boot planted on her back.

He looked at Abe, who was looking at him through half lidded eyes, licking his lips when he saw the fear expressed in his shaking hands.

As the window of possible escape felt further away, an image of Teruko entered his mind.

He thought of the race, of his grandfather, of his mother, and of his father, ignoring the tears that wanted to gather in his eyes. He wouldn't break. He would get out. He would get Rinko out.

He would….He blinked as his face started to sting. The man, Abe had slapped him. He could hear Rinko groaning for him, but he ignored her too. "I like that look in your eyes, boy. I wonder, will you fight even to the end?" he laughed as he picked up his coat. "Too bad the boss needs you, or else we could have so much fun together. Maybe when he's done with you, he'll give you to me" he smiled as he signaled at the other man. He left after ordering the remaining two to bring them to the boss. Tsuna felt fear wrap itself around his heart and squeezed. One of the men left the room to get some rope. Tsuna looked over to the sobbing woman and ordered Rinko to remain quiet with his eyes, as the remaining man picked up his phone to answer a call. He could hear a car leaving from downstairs, and he knew that he had to fight. He would use their underestimation against them. He glanced at the knife on the small table and without hesitating, he stabbed the thug in the crotch. With a high shriek, the man fell to the floor and the other ran into the room. He was so focused on the man writhing on a pool of his own blood that he didn't see the boy ducked low or the knife that ran through his side.

"Motherfucker!" he shouted and pulled at the boy, but he didn't move. He moved to scream, when a fork was jammed into his right eye. Rinko trembled, as she pulled away, her hands shaking like jello. Tsuna moved away as the man plopped face first on the floor.

"Let's go before they come back" Rinko whispered at him, and pulled him towards the back door. They stumbled towards the door and down the rusty fire escape, both hopped up on adrenaline. When she slipped, he urged her to go without her shoe. Their legs and lungs burned as they sped down the alley, tears blurring their gazes. He gripped her hand tighter as they ran without looking back, hoping to never see that man again.

As they got closer to the street, a loud gunshot stopped them in their tracks. Her knees knocked together as she whimpered. From the squeak of those expensive shoes, she knew exactly who it was.

"Turn around" Abe ordered and Tsuna gripped Rinko tighter as they did as they were told. "Who do you think that idiot was talking to?" he laughed as he slowly walked up to them. He pointed the gun at them as the smile slid off his face. "Are you going to come quietly or am I going to have to tear you down" he snarled.

"Take me but leave him alone" Rinko said, stepping in front of Tsuna. Abe laughed and looked at her, an eerie mask of indifference as he stared at her.

"Hmmm" he hummed and tapped his lips. "I don't think I will" he said and a scream tore from Tsuna's throat as a bullet pierced Rinko's stomach.

Tsuna fought to keep her standing, but she slipped from his hands and unto the dirty ground. He kneeled over her, pressing his hands on the wound, hoping to stop the geyser of blood gushing out of her stomach. He focused on her stuttering breaths, ignoring the warm, sticky liquid that surged against his hands.

He could save her.

She would live….

For her son…

He would save her…..

He ignored his own quick breaths as warm tears mixed in with the blood.

"She'll live. Barely" Abe whispered and a blinding hot rage, burst through his veins at the smug look on Abe's face as he tucked his gun back into his holster. "So, now are you going to tell me your name?" He asked and before Tsuna could lunge at the man, Abe groaned.

They both looked down at the metal blade which prodded from Abe's chest, slicing through flesh and blood, staining that white shirt of his. Abe fumbled before he knelt as the sword was pulled out of his chest. Nao nodded at Tsuna, who wiped the blood off of his blade.

"It's Tsunayoshi" he smirked down at the man who glared up at him before unceremoniously falling on the ground.

Running and slipping to his knees, he placed his hands on Rinko's stomach again.

He whispered words of encouragement in her ears, trying to expel the panic in her eyes.

He winced at the blood slipping down the corners of her mouth. "It's going to be okay" he murmured in her hair, that smelt of blood, sweat and the tangy citrus of her shampoo. His arms shook and his face was wet, as he soothed Rinko.

He was so busy whispering, so caught up in trying to maintain his facade of comfort, that his body jolted as a gun was pushed in front of his face. He blinked and frowned. "Wha-..." he questioned and shook his head when the sharp realization of exactly what Nao wanted him to do, crashed down on him. "No" he declared. Nao shook the gun in his face and he screamed again so he could get him to stop.

"SHoOt HeR" Nao told Tsuna who goes to decline. "ShE wIlL sUfFeR" he expanded on his words.

Tsuna shook his head again, his body hunched in, as he buried his face in his bloody hands.

He would save her, damn it!

"Do it" Rinko gasped as blood filled her lungs, her trachea and her mouth.

She could feel it.

Like a beacon of light guiding her back home.

His eyes peeked down at her, through a web of bloodied fingers, and she wanted to be brave, for both their sakes, but she was afraid.

Her heart was giving up and she knew it would come, her death was near.

"I want to live. I want to see Yuiji. I'm scared" she confessed and he hushed her gently.

Tsuna's shaking hand held the gun and looked at Nao who shook his head. He wasn't going to do it. Tsuna had to be the one.

"Everything is going to fine" Tsuna lied as he ran his small fingers through her hair. Rinko started to gargle and wheeze.

"I can't die just yet…I need to…." Rinko kept repeating and Tsuna's whole body started to shiver as he brought the gun closer to her head.

"I know" Tsuna whispered and squeezing the trigger, feeling as the bullet went into her body, as her last breath seeped away.

* * *

A/N: Woooohoo.

Been a while.

I'm alive. Unfortunately.

My laptop is giving trouble. Certain letters are not working, so typing is a hassle. I promise to get it fixed asap.

I'll answer all questions in the next chapter.

I can't promise when, but it will be soon.

PS: Bet you weren't expecting Abe to be so handsome, ne? Lmaooo. He's still a pervy Pedo, so….

PPS: I have a new tumblr, if ur interested. It's a Stony blog tho, so if that is your thing, hit me up. It's uzulover, so…..do with that as u will.


	18. ChApTeR 17

Chapter seventeen – What goes around?

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own anything except this messed up plot

WARNINGS: Violence , Gore, and the **referenced death of a child**

* * *

"Men are punished by their sins, not for them."

― **Elbert Hubbard** , **Love, Life and Work**

 _Tsuna was around eight years old, when he first encountered death._

 _His dog, the one that had been around since he was born, had gotten sick._

 _Shino, as his father had named him, was a tiny Shiba-Inu*, who had retired on his doggie bed in the far corner of the living room. After two days of refusing meals and groaning, they took him to see Mr. Tanaka._

 _According to the kind Mr. Tanaka, the veterinarian who lived two streets away, Shino had something called stomach cancer. When he looked up at sad eyes between large glasses, he understood that they couldn't save Shino._

 _So when they got back home, with Shino whining in pain, brown eyes lined with tears, Tsuna sat with him._

 _He sat on the floor, heart in his throat, hoping to provide little ease for the dog who always stayed with him, especially when the nightmares got too real._

 _Tsuna stayed with him, refusing to go to school, refusing to eat as well, because Tsuna felt like Shino's pain should be his as well._

 _His mother tried to reason with him, but he wouldn't be moved._

 _He would stay with him, just as Shino stayed with him under the covers for years, providing comfort for the lost scared boy that he was._

 _As he sat with his back pressed against the cold wall, he thought about death._

 _He had heard about it from his classmates who lost parents and family to the curse, but he never understood the weight of loss._

 _It felt like something that would never show up on his doorstep, and yet…. "I know" he said to Shino who howled at the assault of pain._

 _He bowed his head over Shino's and cried._

 _When his father came home, three days after the diagnosis, Tsuna heard his parents furiously whispering in the hall. "We can't_ _ **put**_ _him_ _ **down**_ _, papa. Tsuna-chan would be crushed" he heard his mama muttering to his father. He could hear his father bargaining, coaxing and pleading, when Tsuna finally stood up. Looking at Shino, at the way he writhed in pain, he knew that he had to make a choice, not for his own selfish sake but for Shino's._

 _With tiny feet, he shuffled out in the hallway, watching as they froze at his appearance. He refused to look at his father who looked ready to fight against whatever Tsuna would say. He walked past his mother's open arms and trembling lips._

" _Put him to sleep" Tsuna commanded and walked past them, ignoring his mother's cries for him to stop. He slammed his door shut, anger surging through his body, warming his skin and pooling in the pit of his stomach. With his fists curled in, he didn't pause, as he drove them in the wall. The heat pushed him over the brink of reason, as he pounded into the plaster of the wall,_ _over and over_ _, paying no mind to the sharp pain that it caused._

 _No, he continued, even as the hatred bled out of his quivering body._

 _ **He didn't stop, even as bone poked out of the flesh of his knuckles.**_

 _Because even though Tsuna's anger was rare, it was deadly and unforgiving._

* * *

Tsuna knelt near Rinko's still body, looking down at the gun in his hands and the blood that trickled down the dirty floor to gather under her body. Tsuna had closed her eyes, glazed over when her spirit leached out of her flesh, living behind a bruised corpse. He could hear his heart beating in his ears, as he looked at how delicate she looked, her legs bent out in an unnatural pose, her dress stained with blood, her eye still blackened, evidence to the harsh life she lived. He looked at Rinko, and the sorrow was pushed behind his heaving, building fury.

 _If he couldn't save her, he sure as hell would make sure she was avenged._

He threw the gun to the ground, and held out his hand to Nao, who knew exactly what Tsuna was requesting. Without a word, he placed the katana in his hand. Tsuna zeroed in on Abe. The man, who remained with his bloody chest hard-pressed against the ground, was dragging his body, with both his hands and elbows.

Gripping both hands on the Same-Hada*, he stalked towards Abe whose chin was scraping against the ground, as he struggled to pull himself towards the end of the street. As Tsuna grew closer, the light grew further away, devoured by the sweltering black rage that guided each of his movement. The katana felt heavier, as his senses grew duller and more muffled with each wheezing breath. " _ **He killed her**_ " something viciously snarled and laughed as Tsuna looked down at Abe. " _ **A life for a life**_ " something cackled and Tsuna could feel a fire explode behind his eyelids.

 **This was his fault.**

 **He would pay.**

 **With blood.**

 _CrAcK._

* * *

Blood staining his teeth and mouth, Abe pushed himself on his back so he could look at the boy. "So what now? Are you-…" his words vanishing under the coldness that rippled across his skin. _**Huh**_ **.**

A Titan had taken the boy's place, as brown hair fell over his eyes, obscuring his gaze. Yet Abe could feel that unnatural gaze on him, urging more blood into his lungs and mouth.

Abe knew what a monster looked like. He had seen it reflected in the mirror more often than he could tell.

Hell, he even saw it on the boss' face every time someone screwed up.

But more than that, he had seen the exact wrath from a man that no one, not even the underground would whisper about.

He had gotten a glimpse of a true demon that wrapped himself in human flesh.

Now, as the boy towered over him, in a ghostly stillness, he was seeing another glimpse of evil manifested in blood and bones.

 **This darkness….runs deep and quiet.**

Almost like **….** Abe smirked. He wished he could see the boy's progress in the future…but oh well. He would be contented with this.

When the boy tilted his head to the side, Abe spread his arms out to his sides, with his palms placed upward in submission. _What a way to go out_ , he thought.

"Oh, for my death to be by your hands" he whispered and welcomed the blade as it was plunged down into his chest again by ruthless hands.

* * *

Whispering a silent prayer for the dead woman, Nao stood up and unclasped his hands. He never allowed himself to feel sentiment, but he had to admit that he felt something akin to pity as he eyed the woman's corpse. From what he gathered, she was one of the many prostitutes that were shackled to Iwao's services, something she was roped in from someone she deemed as a friend. "At least now she was free" Nao thought, though he was interrupted by the squelching noise of metal slicing through flesh. He glanced over to where Tsuna was, watching as the boy continued to massacre the shrieking man. From the moment Tsuna asked for his katana, Nao knew that he had to stay out of the boy's way. The blankness in those eyes of his, reminded him of Soke-sama and he knew then, that the boy was more than he appeared to be. Having picked up the gun, Nao turned to Tsuna. The boy had one knee pressed against the floor, his hands gripping the Mekugi Nakago* of the katana that was rooted in the middle of the man's chest. Abe was dead for sure, from the way his chest was eviscerated. Muscle was on display, the ribs sticking out from the hole that Tsunayoshi had carved with the blade. "EnOuGh" Nao said as he placed a hand on his shoulder, helping him to his feet. Nao whistled at the destruction and without any remorse, pulled the katana from the man. "CoMe WiTh Me" he instructed and he guided Tsuna to the other end of the alley, where a black car was waiting for them.

* * *

Tsuna followed Nao into the abandoned warehouse, after they got out from the car that Nao had stolen from Abe and his goons. He was sure he should be grateful for his inference, but Tsuna felt empty. He watched as the strange masked boy opened the door, ushering him into inside with a nod of his head. He rubbed his arms, still caked in blood as he looked around. There was a lumpy, dirty cloth that probably served as a mattress in the middle of the dingy warehouse. Near the cloth, was a large trash can that served as a fire pit and a few cans of food lying around it. There was what Tsuna assumed as a makeshift bathroom, with a hose that ran from outside and a piece of cloth acting as a curtain. "ClEaN" Nao ordered him, as he picked up a black duffel bag from the trunk of the car. Tsuna nodded and walked over to the bathroom, and methodically stripped off his clothes. He only hoped the water could wash away all of the blood from his hands.

* * *

Nao watched the boy as he walked back over to him, wearing a simple white T-shirt and a pair of washed out jeans. His dirty clothes was wrapped in a ball under his arm. Nao motioned to the bottle of water and power bar, taking the clothes from the boy. He would have to burn them, along with the car and everything else. The boy slumped down on the cloth, curled into himself as he pressed his knees against his chest as he slowly chewed. He could see the fatigue and desperation in the boy's eyes, the brutality from before, having bled out of his system. The boy who killed Abe wasn't in front of him right then. Picking up a branch, Nao wrote 'It gets better' but Tsuna remained silent. 'You learn to ignore the blood' he added and Tsuna turned his head away.

"I feel like I lost piece of my humanity today" Tsuna finally rasped with a hoarse voice, having emptied his stomach twice in the stolen car. Nao looked down at his gloved hands as Tsuna finished off the power bar.

'What is humanity then?' Nao dug into the ground. The corner of Tsuna's mouth lifted wryly.

"It's knowing that killing that man is wrong" Tsuna replied as he sipped on his water, trying to keep his hand still so that it wouldn't spill on him.

'He would have killed you. You did what you had to do to survive. Why is that wrong? Isn't that what makes us human?' Nao asked with a clenched fist.

"Because I liked it!" Tsuna screamed with a red face. Nao blinked and Tsuna sat back down, quickly sopping up the tears from his cheeks. He laid down on the cloth and turned his back on Nao. "It doesn't matter anymore. I signed up for this. I deserve to rot from all of these evil things I've done" he muttered and Nao watched as he fell asleep, leaving him to his thoughts.

* * *

Tsuna came to consciousness, with a wet gasp and a scream ready to spill from his gaping mouth. His anxiety warmed and cooled in the bottom of his stomach, rattling around in his chest as he tried to calm his frantic heart. He took long deep breaths to settle his wheezing and when he had a better handle on his body, he blinked away the sleep to look around. Nao was looking at him from his perch on one of the high beams, no doubt choosing there to sleep. His katana was on his lap, as he kicked out his feet forward and backward in a taunting manner. Tsuna should feel ashamed but…such a trivial thing had been forced out of him days ago. "It's time to go" he thought to himself. He only had one day to get to Iga and he wasn't going to fail. Standing on unsteady feet, he walked over to the makeshift bathroom to get ready.

* * *

When he came back out, Nao was standing by the door, duffel bag in hand and what appeared to be a guitar case strapped to his back. "No" Tsuna stated as he crossed his arms. Nao leaned his head to the side in a questioning manner.

"YoU nEeD mE" Nao told him and Tsuna picked up his own bag. Luckily Nao had grabbed it before they left for the abandoned warehouse. "YoU wIlL fAiL" he added and Tsuna threw the bag on his back and shook his head at him.

"Why do you even want to help me? What's in it for you if you do? Who are you?" he shot at the boy, who looked like he was moments away from just knocking Tsuna out so they could board the train. Tsuna was right to be wary though, because the one thing he learnt from the last few days, was that nothing came free. Everything had a price.

"AlLy" Nao said and didn't wait for Tsuna to respond. He clicked on the straps of the mask and Tsuna nearly looks away. His throat bobbed as the mask slid off of Nao's face. Tsuna nearly flinched at the scorched scar on his left cheek. From the edges of the burn, he can see….Oh….It was a brand that had been seared off. Tsuna looked away and Nao stepped forward before writing 'There isn't much I can tell you, not out in the open like this. But I come from one of the branch families under Soke-sama's control'. Nao nodded and then used his feet to brush the words away. 'Someone gave me a task. To look after you. To make sure that you made it to Iga and to the clan house' he wrote and Tsuna frowned.

"Who is this someone? Is it that old bastard?" Tsuna asked and Nao scowled at him.

'Yes' he wrote and Tsuna sighed. 'He knew that you would need all the help that you could get. You're the only one who doesn't have any sort of training to help you through this race' he added and Tsuna huffed.

"And so he sent you" Tsuna said and Nao nodded. "Why should I even believe you?" he asked.

'Because without me, you would've died already' Nao wrote and Tsuna gulped. 'We don't have much time. Already, from what I've been told, three people have already made it to Iga. We need to keep moving' Nao wrote and Tsuna nodded.

Nao erased all of his words with his feet and moved to get the matches ready to burn all the evidence that they were here, when a hand was extended towards him.

"It's a pleasure to be working with you" Tsuna smiled and Nao's throat closed at the gesture. "You shake it" he whispered and Nao rolled his eyes but glided his own hand into Tsuna's.

"AlLy" Nao repeated and couldn't help the little smile that blossomed on his own face.

* * *

Meanwhile ~

Iwao couldn't believe his luck. He couldn't believe…..One of his henchmen lowered his eyes as Iwao swept all the paper from out of his desk as his frustration got the better of him. "Abe?" he sneered and someone shook his head. Iwao rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Rinko?" he asked and the same man spoke up.

"Dead. The police found it in an alleyway not too far from the apartment" the man said and Iwao slumped down on his seat.

"The boy?" Iwao asked and another man shook his head. "So the boy is missing and he took Abe's car?!" he shouted as he slammed his fists on the table. Abe should have never taken only two people to get Rinko. He was always careless….

"Boss!" someone shouted and before he could swear at the man, Iwao's eyes widened. He knelt immediately at the Oyabun* who swept into his office. The man, who was nearly fifty years of age looked at the mess and sighed.

"You've been busy, Iwao" the man said as someone got him a seat. Even Iwao's men didn't dare breathe in the man's presence. Iwao didn't answer because he knew better than to speak up when he was told to. "Did you know that someone came to me this morning?" he asked and he slipped out a red envelope from his kimono. Iwao slammed his head on the carpet, as his heart clenched at the sight of such a seal. "Care to tell me why the Head of the Matsuoka Clan wrote to me, asking me why someone had threatened his grandson?!" he shouted and everyone flinched at his booming voice.

"I didn't know" Iwao meekly said and he gritted his teeth as tiny footsteps were ushered inside.

"A mistake like this could have cost us another war, Iwao. One that we have no hopes of winning" Oyabun said as he stood up. Iwao closed his eyes as the boy shouted for his father. "I'm sorry, Iwao but I have no other choice. The Soke demanded a sacrifice. Unfortunately for you, it means your son" he declared and Iwao bit down on his tongue, as he was forced to listen to his son's last breath.

* * *

A/N: Yooohooo

That's a wrap.

Wuttt? Two chapters in the same week? Damn.

As I wrote this, I was just smiling to myself, thinking, WOW! Karma is such a beautiful thing. *sighs*

*Shiba-Inu- is a type of dog, obviously.

Same-Hada* and Mekugi Nakago* - both are located on the hilt of the katana. Please Google it and you'll see what I'm talking about.

*Oyabun- O.O I know the people who've read or watched Yakuza anime/movies will know what this is.

If you don't know, it's translates to "Father", and is a position in the Yakuza Organisation. If you want to learn more, there is an excellent document called "THE OYABUN-KOBUN: A JAPANESE RITUAL KINSHIP INSTITUTION" By Iwao Ishino. (Ironic huh)

Yuki: I'm here! I'm back! *bows* sorry.

Minh Th Bi: That is an excellent question, one I can't fully answer because it will spoil the future plot. However I can say this though: More Canon characters will be introduced. In fact, I have plans to include the older characters in future chapters. *hint, hint*

Suifeng Crimes: :O Thank you so much. I'm glad you are enjoying this so far.

Just wanted to add, might change the rating of this fic because it's going to get darker. Like wayyy darker. Like deep down into the abyss we go, darker.


	19. ChApTeR 18

ChApTeR 18 – Iga, the city of ninja

Disclaimer: _Oh no, no, no…I don't own, own, own._

Warning: **Inaccurate depictions**.

* * *

"The skills of _ninjutsu_ are not occult, or wondrous, but just like the strategy of swordplay; that is, it is about hitting the enemy through their gap, hitting by taking advantage of their responses or hitting by surprise"  
\- Antony Cummins & Yoshie Minami, the translation of the Bansenshukai (Japan's Premier Ninja Manual)

They sat in their seats, silent as their knees knocked against each other, their palms pressed against the hand rests. Nao could see that Tsuna was tired, could see it in his slumped shoulders and fidgeting fingers. Nao shifted in his seat and thought about how he should probably talk to Tsuna about what had happened, but he didn't know how to. So instead, he tapped a rhythm on his knees, building up the courage. _'You okay?'_ Nao wrote and Tsuna nodded.  
"I will be" he said and took out a little black book from his bag as well as a pen. Nao arched a questioning eyebrow at him, but Tsuna didn't say another word as he begun to write.

 _'Dear Teruko,_

 _I know you haven't even learn to read as well, but I'm hoping Mama will relay this letter to you._  
 _How are you? Okay, that was kind of lame. I just don't know how to start, or even **where** to start. I can't tell you exactly what is happening over on my side, because well, I don't think you would understand and there's the other reason, which I can't discuss. It's a mess. Ha! Big Bro is just kidding._

 _I think about you a lot, even when I'm writing this letter. I miss you and Mama every day since I've left._  
 _It's been a tough few days. I'm fine so you don't have to worry. Who am I kidding? Of course you are worried but I'm doing okay, I promise._  
 _The world is wider than before, crueler but more beautiful in a way._  
 _There are people who are so much different than we are, and yet, we are so similar in so many ways._  
 _In fact, I met some new friends, 'Ruko-chan. I know you would love them as much as I do. There is was one lady who-...smelled like oranges, the ones that stick to your clothes and your hands, and she looked like Kyoko-chan too... She even behaved like her. .. She was beautiful, 'Ruko-chan. She had a little boy your age, I think you two would have been great friends if he met you, who knows._

 _That's why I wanted to save her._  
 _I thought, I really believed I would._  
 _Maybe, I'm not meant to save anyone, Teruko._  
 _Maybe I was made to destroy'_

Tsuna wiped away the tears and shoved the book back into his bag. Turning his head a little, Tsuna could see Nao staring at him via the glass, but Tsuna avoided his eyes. _'Who is she to you?_ ' Nao wrote and they both knew that it was just common courtesy. Nao knew exactly who Teruko was.  
"My little sister" Tsuna smiled as he crossed his arms. "She's everything to me" he admitted and Nao looked away. He appeared to be conflicted about something, before he scribbled.  
'What is she like?' He asked and Tsuna rubbed his chin.  
"She's so tiny" Tsuna laughed and the corner of Nao's lips twitched upward in an almost smile. "She has long blonde hair, like our father's and big blue eyes that can never hide how she truly feels" Tsuna said and Nao arched an eyebrow. "She is so warm and happy. Teruko-chan is one of the greatest people you can be blessed to have in your life" he added and Nao patted his hand.  
'I will get you to her' Nao promised and Tsuna's smile shone brighter than anything he's seen.

* * *

It was into the two hours of the train ride, when Nao felt the restlessness start to dig into skin like an itch to that was too far away for him to scratch. He had to bite down on his teeth to calm his nerves and when that didn't work, he closed his eyes. The darkness swallowed up all the tension and he felt himself drift. His mind often liked to wander, liked to revisit the past, especially at a time where he had been just Tsuna's age.

 _He's ten, and he hates humans._ _  
_ _They're ugly, his mind snarls as he's crouched down in the far corner of the dark room. He can feel his ears bleeding, his hands are placed over his eyes as the door creaked open. His fingernails dig into the flesh of his cheeks and he squeezed his eyes closed. He didn't need his hearing to know the kind of evil that crawled out of the light. Because while people liked to preach to you about the monsters lurking the shadows, they don't warn you about the ones that walked around even at daylight._ _  
_ _"Tsk, tsk, tsk" a voice with a lilt sings as shiny black stilettos stop at his own shackled feet. The skin around the metal are chafing and the scent of rotting meat perfumes the air. Nao flinches when manicured fingers prod at the bleeding gauze on his wrists. He had been picking at the wounds again. "I'm going to have to teach you another lesson" she whispers and Nao screams when she dislocates his left shoulder. The pain blinds him for three minutes and leaves him groaning on the ground. "If you're good, you might get dinner today" she coos as she runs her hand over his sweaty forehead, pushing away the hair that's sticking to his face. He knows it's a trick._

 _She isn't capable of love, doesn't know how to._

 _She had been born into a family that needed a boy and got a girl, a scar that never scabbed enough to heal. Funny how a few organs could be *the* determining factor in whether or not your parents would love you. He lets her run her fingers through his cursed hair and doesn't react when she makes him look her way. Her beauty clings to her face, evident in her high cheekbones and her porcelain skin. Men from all over the country had fallen for the Bloody Mari, but only a Norwegian had managed to capture her heart. They fell in love, ran away and then got married. They lived apart from the world for years, just the two of them until their deformed son had been conceived. Then when reality came knocking at their door, her husband was killed and she had to return to Japan to a family that despised her. So she filled her heart with hate and when the cursed child was born, she had forgotten how to love, and so she had nothing else to offer him. So she made sure that he grew up to be feared, to raise up among the ranks of the Isshiki clan and claim his throne. Yet that wasn't enough. She had to get him ready, so that no one could sit where he sat._ _  
_ _"When the mind is full..." she recited and when Nao swallowed, he winced at the dryness of his throat._ _  
_ _"The stomach is never empty" he finished and she nodded. She straightens her back and Nao hurls himself in a sitting position against the wall._ _  
_ _He watches her through hooded eyes, counting in his mind against the pain. Sometimes, understanding doesn't make for absolution. So he hates her, just as much as his tiny body can manage._ _  
_ _"Grow stronger" she tells him and his eyes follows her until the door closes, leaving him in the dark to lick his wounds._

* * *

When they got to Iga, Tsuna could feel the anticipation in the air. It buzzed under his skin and made his hands clench. Tsuna glanced at Nao who fixed the medical mask over his face, in order to hide the ugly scar and the beanie hat to conceal his hair. He could see that Nao was anxious as well, as his eyes fluttered around to take in their surroundings. The streets were packed to the brim, as people weaved their way through the streets, equally as excited for the annual Ueno Tenjin Matsuri*. Tsuna could see the silver and gold banners flying around the poles and from the way Nao's eyes narrowed, he knew it was some sort of signal to the candidates. Tsuna smiled at the booming drums that accompanied the men and women who twisted their bodies to the rhythm as they danced their way past them. "This is going to be harder than I thought" Tsuna acknowledged and Nao just shook his head.

'Remember the plan' Nao wrote and Tsuna nodded, remembering exactly what the other boy had told him.

 _Nao can see that Tsuna is nervous, guessing from the way he kept biting on his fingernails and jiggling his legs up and down as they got closer to Iga. 'This second part, is not going to be easy' Nao writes and Tsuna turns his body to him. 'The bearers of the bandanas are Soke-sama's elite shinobi' he wrote and Tsuna rubbed a hand down his face._ _ **Of fucking course**_ _._ ' _They will not be permitted to kill, so don't worry' he adds at the worry he sees. Tsuna rolls his eyes._

" _I'm not worried about that. How does he expect me to even find these shinobi? That's like asking me to find a needle in a haystack" Tsuna says._

' _They will be hiding in plain sight, disguised to effortlessly blend into their surroundings' Nao writes and Tsuna rolls his eyes again. 'It is what comes after that you should be worried about. Even if you do find them, it's capturing the bandana that is difficult' he adds and Tsuna sighs._

" _Would I need to engage them?" Tsuna asks and Nao shakes his head. Tsuna releases a sigh of relief._

' _Their strategy has always been the same: torture without torture, using their abilities to break your mind and your spirit' Nao writes and Tsuna's eyebrows knit together in confusion. 'It all depends on which shinobi you get, but most often they will want you to steal the bandana from their possession. That is where I come in' Nao adds. Tsuna arches an eyebrow at him. 'I will be your weapon. You distract them, and when I see an opening, I'll snatch the bandana from right under their nose' he grins. Tsuna shakes his head and smiles._

" _I am so glad that you're on my side" Tsuna admits and Nao's body shakes as he silently laughs at the awe found in the boy's eyes._

"We're not alone" Tsuna observed as they walked off to Ueno Castle. Nao replied with a nod as he motioned at the cameras poised at them from the surrounding buildings. He could practically taste the Taiyaki* from the neighboring vendors right outside the Castle*, as they walked through past the throngs of people.

He shook the snow off his shoulders and Nao pulled him to the side. _'See you soon_ ' Nao wrote. Tsuna nodded and when he squeezed Nao's shoulder in gratitude, the boy smirked before dashing off into the crowds.

* * *

Tsuna travelled through the streets, his eyes sharply focused on every person of interest. Checking his watch, he could see that ten minutes had passed and guessing from the text Nao sent, only three bandanas were remaining. Panic caused his heart to race, but Tsuna forced himself to remain calm. They had to get just one bandana.

Tsuna sighed as he stopped.

Maybe, you're too focused on the masks, his brain supplied and looked around. He could see more people gathering at Ueno Castle but as he got closer, no one in particular stood out to him, so he walked off.

Maybe...his eyes scanned the courtyard, zooming in on any potential bandana holders. Remembering the book that he has gotten about observation, it said that in order to blend in, one should choose the most inconspicuous disguise they could get their hands on. And what was more inconspicuous, then the old lady sitting near the pavement, selling Taiyaki midst the other vendors. He inched closer, joining the little group who swarmed around her cart. When they were finished, they left but Tsuna stayed. Because of the red twisted on her fragile wrist. Her eyes appeared to twinkle as her own gaze landed on the bandana.  
"Yes dear?" she crooned as she stood up. He shook his head at the mischievous glint that he was met with.  
"What do I have to do to get that bandana from you?" He asked and she slyly smirked, before the expression slid off her face. It was replaced with a meticulously blank expression as she kept their gazes locked. "Easy" she shrugged but he wasn't prepared for a large gust of wind to push him backwards as the woman disappeared.

"Find me, Chīsana nezumi*" she whispered right into his ear, but when he turned around, she was already gone. He spun his body in a circle, hoping to get a sign as to where she…..He caught movement from the corner of his right eye and he saw a red streak flying over the wall.

Without thinking, his body pushed forward with the pull of adrenaline as he followed the blur. He could hear a faint cackling as he darted down on street, his muscles in his legs scorching with the exertion of the speed he had to maintain and the effort… only for it to turn into a dead end.

 **Shit.**

He spun around on his heels and turned into another street, his heart thumping against his ribcage and his throat tightening into itself as he ran….only to crash against a pair of thick thighs. The burly man glared down at him as his daughter giggled at the flustered boy.

"Sorry sir!" Tsuna apologized with a deep bow and with a grunt, the man walked past him, his little daughter tugging on his hand.

Tsuna could see the blur of the red bandana again and so with a deep breath, he sped off.

Only to come face to face with the procession of the shrine. "Oh shit" Tsuna swore under his breath, as he pushed past more masked people, some wearing the mask of an 'Oni'. His burning legs came to an abrupt halt, sweat trickling down the bridge of his nose to drip down on his upper lip. The overwhelming heat of the bodies enveloped Tsuna on all sides as he squeezed his way through the street. He tried to avoid the stray limbs around him, but the occasional elbow still managed to slam into his face now and then.

As he moved closer to the red blur, the heat of the crowd managed to cancel out the cold from the light snow that drifted over their heads.

He trudged through, standing on his toes, hoping to get a better view of the chaos around him. "Come on, come on, come on" he pleaded with himself and that was when he saw… **!**

"You!" he shouted when he saw the hunched back of a short woman. He stretched out his right hand ready to grab her sleeve, only to snatch air. A sound of pure frustration crawled out of his throat as he flung his fist in the air. "Damn it!" he yelled and when he turned, he came face to face with a red Hannya* mask.

The man who prostrated himself in front of Tsuna, was as tall as his grandfather, with a lean frame that spoke of a power carefully hidden behind his clothes. He wore a matching kimono and a black haori snugly hung on his shoulders (something that he took note of) as the man slanted his head to the right in a mocking gesture.

The world narrowed down to the obsidian eyes of the mask, to the vulgar leering mouth, to the way the man cracked his knuckles, his fingernails coated in black enamel glinted in the low light of the afternoon sun.

Tsuna's energy seemed to drain the more the man studied him, as the bundle of nerves started to churn in the bottom of his stomach.

Goosebumps broke out on his arms and a coldness, that didn't come from the light snow, washed over his skin. He knew that whoever this person was, meant danger. So when the man took a step forward, Tsuna moved backward on instinct.

"You must be Tsunayoshi" a melodic voice whispered and Tsuna's body seized in a frozen state. Tsuna couldn't move, as a black fingernail tapped his forehead. "He must be a fool, to think that you would be able to replace me" the man breathed out and when he slightly lifted the mask off, Tsuna flinched at the brown eyes, the color of mud, that seemed to consume the little bravado he had left.

"Pathetic" he said, taking a step forward and shame warmed Tsuna's cheeks. Snapping out of his fear, Tsuna opened his mouth to speak when his elbow was yanked backwards. It was the old woman. Tsuna frowned at the fingers pressed into his skin and at the way her body was wound tight with repressed anger.

"Get away from him, traitor" the old woman snarled at the man who just chuckled. The deep rumble made the woman tighten her grip on Tsuna, to the point of bruising. The mysterious man fixed the mask back onto his face, before bending over in a taunting bow. When he straightened his back, he and the old woman stared at each other.

The two were locked in a stance of great tension, coiled on the defense and ready for any potential attack, while Tsuna stood off to the side, confused as ever.

"That's traitor-sama to you, Kotoko-chan" the man hums. He opens his right palm and directs it a Tsuna. "I'm surprised that you all allowed this piece of filth to enter the race" the man laughed and the old woman's eyes deepened with hatred.

"Why are you here?" the woman snarled as she pulled Tsuna to her body even more. "You are not wanted in this sacred city, you traitorous dog!" she snapped with vehemence.

"This city is a mere mockery of what it had once been, just like your precious Matsuoka clan" the man replied with a wave of his hand.

"A man who values nothing, will never understand family and loyalty" the woman threw in his face and Tsuna could see that the statement had struck something deep within the man.

"A change is coming, Kotoko-chan. Make sure you know which side you're on" the man icily told her but she said nothing. "Ganbatte kudasai, Tsunayoshi-kun. You will need it" he muttered and they watched as he disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Well" Tsuna said, as he turned around, still locked in her grip. She was so distressed, so torn between protecting Tsuna and defending her clan's honor, that she hadn't noticed the blade pressed against her back. "I will be taking that bandana now" he told her and she snapped out of her daze. She could feel Nao grinning from his position behind her and she resisted the urge to laugh. She unwrapped the bandana from her wrist and gently placed it in his hands. She smiled and pressed her thumbs on his cheeks before leaning up to kiss his forehead. "A blessing on your way" she said but the gesture didn't quite meet her eyes because he could see that she was still shaken up by whoever it was that had approached him.

"Who was that?" he asked and she shook her head, before leaning in to whisper at Nao. He could see the fear in Nao's eyes at her words.

"Look after him. His life is in your hands" she told Nao and with a nod from the boy, she walked off, disappearing in the crowd.

"Nao" Tsuna said in a sharp tone but Nao, just tugged on the edge of his shirt.

"LeT's Go' Nao said and with a brisk yank, he pointed to one of the mountains overlooking the courtyard.

"You're kidding me" Tsuna groaned and Nao shook his head. "Damn" he sighed, and with a push, they started on their way to the clan house.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Matsuoka clan house~

"He's done well so far" someone said to him as they approached from behind him. He was staring at the koi pond, sitting on the Kyoto styled beech bench, his hands folded neatly on his lap and his cane leaned against the wall. "He was pretty lucky to have gotten Kotoko-chan" the woman told him as she bowed at him.

"You and I both know luck had nothing to do with it" his grandfather scoffed as the surface of the pond glimmered in the dying light of the sun. He turned his body to look at her and she arched an eyebrow at him. He took in her straight black hair, studied the way it was pinned in a low bun and the way her blue kimono dragged against the floor as she sat down beside him. Even the foundation could not hide her true age, he thought to himself.

"I heard about Hiroshi" she whispered and he sucked in a breath at the name. "There has been rumors that he's gathering more followers, Hisao-sama. He's planning to contest the Mat-…" she was saying but abruptly stopped at the gaze that was directed at her.

"He's a silly little boy!" he yelled before looking off to the side. He grunted at the sharp jolt and in his efforts to calm himself, he patted his chest. When the pain settled, he took a deep breath. He could see her sitting up straighter than before, more alert from his outburst. "Even at a young age, he didn't want to follow the clan laws, didn't believe in tradition. Not even I could get him to listen" Hisao said, and sighed as the pain lanced his side.

"He's the greatest shinobi our clan had produced" she disputed and he sighed again. When she saw that he wasn't going to budge on his stance, she stood up. "I hope you know what you're doing, Hisao-sama. I really do" she told him.

"Tsunayoshi, he's a diamond that has yet to take shape" Hisao said, looking at her. "He has enough potential to save the Matsuoka clan. And as the Soke, I will ensure that he's ready for such a burden" he confessed and her eyes widened a little at his statement. She responded with a sharp nod. "Besides, he's MY grandson" he slyly added.

"Some are saying that is the reason why you are so soft on the boy" she told him with a light quirk of the mouth.

"Of course they are" Hisao scoffed and her eyes shimmered with mirth. "Nothing can ever fully satisfy the elders, you know this" he added as he took up his cane. "Let's go inside. I believe there will be more news on our doorstop" he said and she glanced at Kaito who had just walked through the Torii* gate at the entrance. He stopped and bowed. His eyes though, they appeared to be more troubled than before. "What is it?" he asked and Kaito took off his mask.

"There have been sightings of Hiroshi in the city" Kaito said and they lowered their heads at the anger rising from their Soke. "He's said to be going after Tsunayoshi" he added and they flinched when he strode off, no doubt ready to unleash his rage.

* * *

Notes: Woooo~

*Taiyaki: Japanese fish-shaped cake.

*Torii: From my research, it's the gate that is normally found at the entrance of a Shinto temple to signify the transition from mundane to sacred. The reason why I used this gate (I hope I have not offended anyone with its use) is to demonstrate that within this story, there will be a connection with religion (Shinto and Buddhist, etc) and with the shinobi. So the clan house also holds a temple within its grounds, and thus it explains why there is a Torii at one of the entrances.

* Ueno Tenjin Matsuri - This festival is held every October 23rd-25th at the Ueno Tenjingu Shrine in Iga City, Mie Prefecture, famous as the place where ninja got their start and as the birthplace of the haiku poet Matsuo Basho. The largest festival in Iga, this event boasts more than 400 years of history and has even been designated nationally as an Important Intangible Folk-Culture Asset. At the main festival, on October 25th, the largest Shinto wand in Japan (weighing in at 120 kg), followed by a magnificently decorated portable shrine, a procession of well more than a hundred demons wearing humorously frightening masks, and nine lavishly-decorated festival floats, makes its way boisterously through the streets of the castle town to musical accompaniment.

Winter is said to begin in November in Japan, so for this story's sake, let's twist this data and say that winter started earlier. (Climate Change, imma rite? Lol)

*I actually have no knowledge on whether or not these vendors are allowed to sell outside the Castle, soooo um…..ya know, if it's untrue, just add to another discrepancy.

* Chīsana nezumi - this translates (from the internet and not an actual Japanese person) little mouse.

* The **Hannya** (般若) is a mask used in Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon.

A/N:

Annnd, that's a wrap!

There's a lot going on this chapter (it should be because it was like ten pages on a Word document :O…) but we're finally getting deeper in the plot. YAY~

Plus we have the introduction of new characters, more conflict and a little insight into Nao's background as well as the situation that is happening within the Matsuoka clan.

Yuki: Thank you for such beautiful words. Your reviews have always lifted me up and inspired me to write, even when I've felt low on inspiration.

Oh my dudes, before I go: the Bansenshukai, is real and so awesome! Wow, Japan. You guys are so awesome. I can't even…..


	20. CHaPteR 19

ChApTeR 19 – Over the mountain and into the fire

Disclaimer: _No, no, no, I don't own, own, own._

* * *

"If trouble comes when you least expect it then maybe the thing to do is to always expect it."  
― Cormac McCarthy, The Road

 _Years Ago_

 _"Tell me a story" the little boy demanded and the girl who sat beside him, rolled her eyes. "What? I'm bored" he pouted as the girl with the brown pigtails just huffed._

 _"You're always bored" she said with a dismissive sniff. "My Aniki said that your mind is weak" she adds with a superior tone. The boy, who was no more than eight, frowned and kicked dirt at her feet. "Hey!" she shouted and the boy smugly smirked at her. Just as they were ready to launch themselves at each other, two fists slammed down on their heads._

 _"Enough, you two" their teacher said, closing the book in his hands so that he could stare at them. At his gaze, the two lowered their heads. "Would you like to tell me why you two were fighting AGAIN?" he asked, tucking the book under his arm. He pinched the bridge of his nose as the two shouted at each other "He/She started it!" That only earned them two more bops to the head._

 _"I only wanted to hear a story but SHE was being a poopy head" the boy said and the girl snarled at him._

 _"You're the Poopy head" she hissed and their teacher had to push their faces apart._

 _"You're both Poopy heads. There? Satisfied? Now you two can stop fighting" the Teacher said and the two whined at him while he laughed._

 _"Sensei, it's not me. She always starts the fights" the boy accused and the girl shook her head so hard, her pig tails slapped against her face._

 _"Nuh uh. You're lying" she said as she crossed her arms together. "Sensei, he's lying" she shouted at their teacher._

 _"You're both responsible" their teacher said and they stuck out their lower lip in defiance. "Well, since you're out here on punishment, I think I'll tell you that story" he said, squishing his way between the two. The boy clapped and even the girl's eyes brightened at the prospect of hearing a story._

 _"Which one will you tell, Sensei?" he asked and the man hummed before stroking his chin._

 _"I think I'll tell you two about our clan and our_ _Gen'yōsha*" their teacher said and the boy could hardly stay still. "Do you remember the tale about the first shinobi?" he asked and they nodded._

 _"A daimyo had killed his master" the girl said and the teacher nodded. "He knew he couldn't challenge the daimyo face to face, so he set off to get someone who would teach him the ways of the 'Kage'*" she added._

 _"We all know this story, sensei. The man, Yamada Riku* became the first shinobi of Iga. He was one of the first to successfully kill a daimyo and get away with it" the boy said and the teacher smiled as he patted their heads._

 _"Yamada Riku-sama was the founder of the Gen'yōsha, a school he opened in order to pass down his teachings, seeing as he didn't have any children on his own" he said, watching as the boy leaned forward in anticipation. "He took in eleven students: Matsuoka Tadashi, Isshiki Reo, Ito Hiroaki, Minamoto Kazumi, Sato Itsuo, Nakamura Hinata, Yoshida Izumi, Mori Nishi, Goto Riichi, Kubo Saburo and Murata Mao*. These eleven students would go on to create their own clans, and pass down their own teachings" he told them and his lips quirked in a smile, as the girl recited the names with him, using her fingers to count. "However, when Oda Nobunaga laid siege to Iga*, the shinobi found themselves at an impasse. They had already lost most of their brothers and sisters in the battle against Oda's 40,000 warriors, so they had no other choice but to flee. In running away, the successors of Yamada-sama's students decided to join together once more. In doing so, they retook the name of Gen'yōsha. From that day, these eleven clans would become the strongest shinobi that many would fear" he finished._

 _"You forgot about the Soke-sama" the boy said, a glimmer of admiration in his eyes. "It was a position that only the strongest of the eleven would inherit, ne, ne?" the boy asked and the teacher nodded._

 _"Even after they created the Gen'yōsha, they knew that only one could truly rule and unite their families. So they created the 'Kinshi* Test' to weed out the weak from the strongest. Each clan would present a representative for the Test, and these eleven would fight to the death, in order to obtain the title of Soke" their teacher said, as the boy nodded in excitement._

 _"And our clan has held the title of Soke for more than a century now" the girl boasted with a haughty tone. Their teacher shook his head and patted her head again._

 _"That is true, little one" their teacher said standing up. "Do you two think you would be able to continue the tradition?" he teased and they jumped off the bench._

 _"Yes sir!" they shouted in tandem. He laughed and knelt down before them. He pulled them into a warm embrace and he knew they were shocked at his gesture._

 _"Then study hard, you two" he said pulling away. "And no fighting" he warned as he got up once more. They sent him a cheeky salute and he shook his head. "I expect great things from you both" he smiled and walked off, a little proud of himself._

 _He hadn't known then that would be the moment he spelled disaster for the Matsuoka clan._

* * *

"Soke-sama" a booming voice announced his arrival and when Hisao swept past the shoji* door, he was ready for war. The ten Elders stood up and deeply bowed as their Soke made his way to the head of the room. When he sat down, only did they take their seats.

"Hiroshi is on the move" Hisao said as he folded his legs. Kaito and Jin stood behind his back, the only two people Hisao allowed such an honor. The Head of the Ito family, a burly man of approximately forty years scoffed and when Hisao's gaze fell on him, he lowered his eyes. "Do you wish to speak, Ito-san?" he asked and the Head of the Isshiki family snickered.

"No, Soke-sama" Ito humbly said and it was Hisao's turn to scoff.

"If you have nothing to say, Ito-san, then I suggest that you keep a tighter seal over those loose lips of yours" Hisao sneered and Ito bowed his head.

"Soke-sama, permission to speak?" the Head of the Isshiki family piped up and Hisao glanced at the woman who smiled serenely at him. She was the cousin of the late Head, the one who swooped in to take over the clan once the Bloody Mari had died. When Hisao nodded, she leaned forward, her hands neatly folded on her lap. "Why has he shown up now?" she asked and he knew from the playful gaze, she was goading him.

"He's here for the race and because of Tsunayoshi" Hisao revealed and he could feel the myriad of emotions that swirled around the room.

"There has been rumors" the Isshiki family Head said, her round face solemn. She was not as beautiful as her cousin had been, but she certainly wasn't ugly. She was pretty for her twenty years of age, and she appeared to wield her appearance to her advantage. "That he has agents within our Gen'yōsha" she declared and the Ito family Head slammed his heavy fists on the mat.

"Watch your tongue, Isshiki or else I will cut it out straight from your mouth!" Ito screamed with a red face. Hisao used his cane to gently rapt at the mat and they bowed their heads in submission.

"As you bicker amongst yourselves, your sons and daughters are in danger" Hisao stated the obvious. "Hiroshi will make the entire forest bleed with his vengeance, just as WE taught him. So while you doubt your brothers and sisters, Hiroshi is well on his way to slaughtering your children" Hisao told them.

"Double the guards then" the head of the Sato family spoke up. Hisao looked at man, who was roughly his own age, though his head was entirely bald. He had a thick black mustache on his upper lip that resembled a hairy caterpillar.

"Seeing as he is your best student, Sato, do you really think they will be able to keep him out?" Hisao questioned and Sato responded with a huff.

"So what do you suggest that we do?" the head of the Minamoto family asked. She was waving her fan to and fro, her eyes skittishly roving all the gathered members.

"We prepare" Hisao said, gazing out to the forest that concealed the clan house. He hoped that Nao would be enough to stop Hiroshi from getting his hands on Tsunayoshi.

* * *

Only an hour had passed since they embarked on their trek to the mountain, but Tsuna was _**tired**_. The soles of Tsuna's feet were sore and aching, as rocks sharply dug into the rubber of his shoes as he tried but failed to avoid them. He wanted to complain, wanted to just plant himself on the wet ground but he knew he had to make to the clan house, so he carried on in silence.  
The damp smell of Earth clung to the cold air, and it got headier as they climbed higher up the mountain. Calves cramping and out of breath, he grimaced at the uncomfortable feeling of sweat drying behind his neck. He swatted against the mosquitoes that nipped at his arms and he glanced at Nao who was quiet behind him. Nao was so busy looking over his shoulder, that he hadn't noticed Tsuna looking at him. Nao had decided to take over the role of protector again and so he positioned himself like a silent sentinel at the back of Tsuna. As they walked up the path lit by paper lanterns, the shadows slithering through the trees, Tsuna's nervousness increased. "Who was that man?" Tsuna asked for the first time. Nao finally looked at him and pursed his lips.  
'Not here, not now' Nao wrote and Tsuna stopped.  
"Ever since I was a little kid, I could tell whether or not someone was bad, like a sixth sense or something. I could feel their intentions almost. Do you know what I felt with him?" Tsuna asked and Nao studied his face before shaking his head. "I felt nothing. He wasn't human" Tsuna stated and waited. Nao sighed and decided to regale the tale:

 _Matsuoka Hiroshi was born when the moon had been hidden behind the clouds, on a night where not even the stars could be found in the sky. His mother was the sister to the Soke at that time and wife to the previous Soke, Matsuoka Hyousuke. The baby came screaming into the world, draining his mother of all her blood as he tore through her flesh like paper. Not even the mid wives could save her from her fate and that was the first life the boy took._

 _Keeping to his sister's wishes, the boy's Uncle welcomed him into his home, and took him as his own son._

 _Even at a young age, he was diligent and humble, always ahead of his peers in both skills as well as intelligence._

 _He would go on to be chosen as the representative for the Matsuoka clan and he would go on to defeat the other candidates to be named the heir of the Soke._

 _Everyone in the_ _Gen'yōsha had such high hopes for Matsuoka Hiroshi, they even compared him to that of his Uncle, so when the time came for his very first assignment, no one else could have foreseen what would happen._

 _There had been rumors, but no one really knows what happened on that mission with his team, some years_ _ago._

 _It had been a week, until they realized they were missing and another until they found him._

 _He was surrounded by the mangled remains of the others, shouting and screaming about 'Kenshukai'*_

 _According to some_ _, that was the demon who had severed his hand and devoured his mind'_

Tsuna shivered as Nao finished the story and said "So they had to get another heir. That's why that old man chose me for this race". Nao nodded.  
'Hiroshi-san was never the same. A month after his rescue, he stabbed the guards and ran away. He was never seen again, only until now' Nao told him. 'We will tell you everything, but for now, we must leave' Nao wrote and with a nod, they carried on.

* * *

 _Life is fickle and fragile._ _  
_ _Humans are soft and stupid, a fact that remains the same even before he mastered the art of manipulation._ _  
_ _They're loud, and weak and disgusting._ _  
_ _So so disgusting, both on the inside and on the outside._ _  
_ _They always want, want, want and always take, take, take._ _  
_ _So he has to be quick and faster than they are._ _  
_ _He has to be the one to crack them open and cleanse them._ _  
_ _Because only blood can wash away blood._ _  
_ _Blood. BlOod. BlOOd._ _  
_ _ **Kenshukai**. _

"Is there a reason why you must face this little kid?" someone asked from behind him. Hiroshi was staring down at the Hannya mask, his index finger lightly running along the leering mouth. "He's nothing. Without the little half breed, that kid would have never survived that long. So pray tell, why are you going out there?" she prodded and Hiroshi shrugged.

"He annoys me" he said and her eyes narrowed as he gently placed the mask back on his face. "And that old man would suffer greatly with his death" he added, before walking off.

* * *

As they continued to traverse the mountain for another hour, there were Hinoki* and Sugi*, as far as the eye could see. Tsuna used one of the trees to balance himself as he climbed up the slope, knowing very well that people were watching them. "CaNdIdAtEs" Nao threw at him, as they walked over one of the moss covered stones. He turned back and looked at the looming forest behind them. It was silent, the kind of silence that hinted at death, because there were not even the sounds of animals could be heard in the distance. "What do they called this forest? It's not listed" Tsuna asked as they continued up the uneven path.

"Shizuka"* Nao said and Tsuna closed his mouth with a snap. Nao was spooked and that was always a bad sign. "TrAp" he pointed and Tsuna looked down at the covered up hole.

"Is that meant for us?" Tsuna asked and Nao nodded as they side stepped it. "Why-…" Tsuna was saying, when he felt a tug at his left foot. Before Nao could warn him, he knew exactly what he had stepped on. He looked down and when the metal jaws clamped around his shin in a "SNAP!" his chest heaved. Pain like none he had never felt rocked his body as the metal scraped against the bone. Tsuna bit down onto the hand that Nao had clamped over his mouth. "Fuc…K..." Tsuna gasped. His entire left leg throbbed, the pain as sharp as the metal piercing his skin. "Get it out" Tsuna pleaded, tears running down his face as he whimpered. Nao knelt down and placed a steady hand on his forehead. Nao ran a soothing hand down his back as Tsuna threw up to the side, gagging on the bitter bile that rose in his throat.

"CalM" Nao whispered as he pressed his forehead against Tsuna, hushing his pitiful whining. Wiping away the tears on the boy's face, he muttered little assurances to the boy until he finally stopped crying.

Without wasting time, Nao gently helped Tsuna to lay fully on his back and when wounded brown eyes looked up at him, he nodded. "SaVe YoU" Nao told him and Tsuna weakly squeezed his hand. Sitting down in front of the bear trap, Nao placed his hands on each of the springs. He looked up and saw Tsuna's looking at him. "BrEaThE" Nao instructed and when Tsuna took deep calming breaths, he placed his hands on each of the two springs. Without hesitation, he pressed down with all of his strength. As they compressed and lowered, he told Tsuna to slide his leg free. Tsuna held onto the injured leg and with a grunt, he pulled it free. Nao breathed out a sigh and moved toward Tsuna, who rocked to and fro in agony.

"Leave me" Tsuna dramatically told him when Nao looked down at him. He curled his bloody fingers around Nao's ankle and shook his head when the other boy tried to get him to get up. Tsuna's eyes widened as Nao bent down and awkwardly patted his forehead. "What was that?!" Tsuna asked with a weak smile and Nao shook his head.

"TeRuKo" Nao spelled out and Tsuna gritted his teeth as the older boy held out his hand for him to take. "Up" he urged him with his wriggling fingers and Tsuna

"You dirty bastard" Tsuna mumbled as he grabbed the offending hand. Nao pulled him up, while Tsuna avoided placing any of his weight on the damaged foot. As he leaned against Nao, he breathed in the mint that Nao always seemed to carry with him. "Thank you" he whispered and Nao replied with a reassuring squeeze to his hip.

* * *

Moving away from the trap, the blood and vomit they left near it, Tsuna allowed Nao to lead him near the little brook that ran through the forest. Looking out at the darkness, from the moon's light, he could see sheets of thin ice covering the water. Though a trickle could be heard in the distance.  
Tsuna allowed Nao to navigate him back onto the floor, his body battling with the intense wave of nausea that threatened to pull him under. Black spots swam in front of him while his chest felt like it was moments away from collapsing into itself. He looked at Nao's hair, and when the boy jostled his leg, he winced as he felt the wound tear at the edges. He could feel how gentle Nao was trying to be, with careful touches and calculated movements. "ClEaN" Nao said, pointing to the swab in his hands. Tsuna nodded but grimaced as the gesture made him even more nauseous. He raised his shirt, shivering as the cool air caressed his stomach and bit down.  
The rough fabric managed to anchor him and when he looked down at Nao, he readied himself.  
When the swab touched his leg, the stinging sensation had him arching off of the snow peppered Earth.  
He had to bite back another scream as Nao cleaned the wound. Tsuna's stomach clenched with each swipe and had to force himself not to squirm as the antiseptic seeped into his flesh.  
He nearly passed out from the pain, when a light hum sliced through the haze. He recognized the song, one that his own mother often sung to him, and when pushed himself on his elbows, he realized that sound was coming from Nao. He, himself had often sung it to Teruko on the awful occasions when she managed to catch the flu. He slumped back down on the ground, the snow soaking into his skirt and covered his eyes with his palms.

"Akino yuuhini teru yama momiji"* his voice croaked and creaked because a young boy on the cusp of puberty didn't exactly have the perfect singing voice. He knew that Nao had stilled, guessing from the lack of the cleaning swab but Tsuna continued. The song reminded him of the days he spent cuddled up with Teruko, her snotty nose jammed in his neck because she didn't care that she was gross. She wanted comfort and the only person who could satisfy her would always be her older brother.  
"koimo usuimo kazu aru nakani..." he whispered, the words slipping away from him once Nao started to clean the wound again.

Nao was finishing up with wrapping the gauze around Tsuna's leg when he finally looked up again. The boy was singing, the one song that Nao didn't think he would hear in a long time. It had been back when life didn't seem so cruel, when his world was narrowed down to white hair and watery eyes surrounded with crinkles.

 _"Oh my dear, Nao. When everything hurts, a song is a sure way to lift the pain away" the voice had said. Bony fingers would run themselves over the delicate bones of his bald scalp, because at that particular time, he had used the end of a kunai to chop off the cursed hair. Nao had curled up in a ball, holding his broken wrist tight against his chest as he stifled the wet sobs. He sniffled as the old woman hummed, her voice a beautiful pair to the warm afternoon sun that bathed them both. He signed at her but she shook her head, before pointing at his hearings aids. He pouted but turned them on._ _  
_ _"She won't like it if she knew you were here" Nao sniffed and she smiled down at him. His head was on her lap and when their eyes met, he felt like hiding away._ _  
_ _"She won't find out" the old lady reassured him but Nao wasn't convinced. "How about that song, huh? I used to sing it to my daughter all the time" she told him and he wiped his face. He closed his eyes as her voice swaddled him in love, the only kind anyone had offered him in a long while, as the words drifted all around them:_

 _"Autumn colors on the mountain lit by the sunset,_ _  
_ _Deep colors and pale ones,_ _  
_ _A kimono skirt pattern of pine, maple and ivy trees_ _  
_ _Decorating the mountain's base._

 _In the valley stream, scattered autumn leaves_ _  
_ _Tremble on the waves alone and together,_ _  
_ _Various shades of red and yellow_ _  
_ _Forming a woven brocade on the water's surface"_

 _"You were meant to be loved, Nao" she whispered when the song was finished. Nao's eyes had widened, but remained quiet as he turned away from her. "You are not a monster" she choked out, and the proceeded to give him his very first hug._

"You good?" Tsuna asked as he sat up, watching as Nao blinked his way back from the memory. Nao closed the little black bag that seemed to pop out from nowhere. "My voice was that bad huh?" He joked and Nao's own eyes softened as he looked at him.  
"WoRsT" Nao said and avoided the weak punch Tsuna sent his way.  
"You're an ass" Tsuna told him and Nao just shook his head. Tsuna had a feeling that Nao was smiling behind that mask of his and for the first time in the past few days, they both could finally breathe.

* * *

12/01/20**

Dear Diary,  
Today I saw something I wasn't meant to see.  
I was training near the temple when I saw HIM.  
Hiroshi.  
Hinami has a crush on him, she keeps saying how hot he is (blegh) but I don't see it. She tells me that I'm mad, says I'm too childish to understand a woman's feelings but I don't get it.  
He doesn't attract me, he scares me.  
He's empty.  
A blank canvas that remains empty no matter how much he tries to pretend otherwise.  
I saw him with Gekko's cat out in the back.  
He killed it.  
I saw him after lights out, burying the body near the stream.  
He was muttering to himself, talking about Kenshukai, laughing when the dirt dug into his fingernails as he clawed a grave to hide the body.  
I watched him, as he flung the carcass in the hole like a piece of garbage.  
The face he made... When he covered up the hole...  
It disgusted me... He disgusts me.  
I want to tell Sensei, I want to tell my parents, to tell Gekko and Hinami, but no one will believe me.  
And he knows it too because he turned to look at me.  
With dirt on his face and blood on his hands, that fucker smiled at me.  
He smiled!  
I had no other choice.  
I ran.  
I ran to my room and I hid under my covers.  
So if I'm dead, and you're reading this, then you know who the culprit is.  
Matsuoka Hiroshi is a demon.  
He's going to kill me and this clan..

\- Matsuoka ***

* * *

Notes:

Gen'yōsha – Dark Ocean Society (this was a real organization in Japan. This bears no resemblance to the organization that I've written about thoooo…)

Kage – Shadow

Yamada Riku – This is just a name that I came up with for this story, it bears no resemblance to any real person.

*Oda Nobunaga really did attack Iga with 40,000 warriors. Ok so history time.

According to the research I've done, articles mentioned that the Iga ninja didn't really like Oda and the way he did things. In fact, when Oda had attempted to be Shogun, the Iga ninja conspired against him and so Oda retaliated. Oda launched an attack with his son against Iga, though this first attack had like around 10,000 of his warriors. The Iga rebelled along with their Koga allies.

Oda, seeing that he couldn't become Shogun without the interference of the Iga ninja, decided to invade them again, though this time he led the assault with 40,000 warriors. (And they had muskets too)

Google it and you'll see.

Kinshi – translates to Forbidden

Shoji- window or room divider consisting of translucent paper over a frame of wood which holds together a lattice of wood or bamboo.

Hinoki – is a type of cypress tree

Sugi – Japanese red cedar tree

Kenshukai – translates as blood.

Shizuka – translates as quiet

The song that Tsuna and the old lady sings is a popular children's (traditional) song called "Momiji" and has two meanings, Autumn Colors and Red Leaves.

A/N: wut, wutttt

So more light has been shed on the shinobi in this story, we got a lil backstory on Hiroshi (and why he's coo-coo for Cocoa puffs) and a little bonding between Nao and Tsuna.

To recap so far:

The entire shinobi organization is called the Gen'yōsha. This organization is made of the eleven individual clans whose ancestors were students of Yamada Riku. Because only one can rule amongst them, the Kinshi Test is used to determine the Soke and his/her heir.

The history of the eleven students, Yamada Riku himself and even the Gen'yōsha will be fleshed out in the later chapters.

Yuki: My lips are sealed like Ito's! Lmao, but good eye though. I can't really tell you what's going to happen until it does… Fingers crossed.

Thank you for the great review yet again : )


	21. ChApTeR 20

ChApTeR 20 – That which swallows those who manage to make it at the top

Disclaimer: _No, no, no….I don't own, own, own,_

Warnings: Violence, gore… reference to **animal cruelty** (though no animals were hurt in the creation of this fic), _broccoli discrimination_ and overall craziness from Hiroshi.

Bonus chapter - Because I managed to finish before hand, I decided to publish it. So here ya go.

Oh and I changed the rating to M.

* * *

"Time takes it all whether you want it to or not, time takes it all. Time bares it away, and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again."  
― Stephen King

Today was a good day !

Niisan would be so happy when he saw her picture.

Mama promised that she would mail her drawing for her.

So Teruko had to be a good girl.

She would be good for Tuna-kun, because she loved him more than she loved Apples. And she would fight Momo-chan for Apples, and Momo-chan was her best friend.

Apples were the best, no matter what Haru said.

Haru was a doo doo bird.

He was worse than brocu…brocc-…brocculi…broccoli.

Nasty!

Bad brocc…oli! (Ugh)

Brrooooo…

…ccooliiii

"What are you doing, hun?" her Mama asked, interrupting the tiny girl's inner monologue. Teruko, who was lying on the floor, her tummy pressed against the hard wood, looked up at her Mama and her eyes widened at the plate of sliced Apples.

"Apples!" she shouted and Mama smiled as she placed the plate next to her drawing.

"Oh, is that for Tsuna-kun?" her Mama asked and Teruko nodded, gripping her yellow crayon. "You miss him, huh?" she added and Teruko paused before she could eat one of the apple slices.

"Love him, mama" Teruko said, looking down as tears filled her eyes. She sniffed as Mama ran her hands through her hair. "Like the sun loves her flowers" she recited, something her Niisan had taught her and Teruko frowned as something dark flashed across her Mama's face.

 **Sometimes, Mama wasn't Mama**. "Niisan be okay?" she asked, pushing her face against her mother's bosom. It was okay. She loved her Mama too.

"Oh, honey, he'll be just fine" her mother said, rubbing soothing circles against her back as Teruko cried. _Or else there would be hell to pay_.

* * *

Tsuna felt time slip away from him like water pooling out of his hands. He tried to keep focused, to remember that they had to get to the clan house, but the fever made his brain mushy. His thoughts were narrowed down to the pounding of his head that matched the throbbing of his leg and the heat that reddened his face.  
Sweat had gathered and stained the armpits, the neckline and even the edges of his shirt, leaving a musky scent in its wake.  
"I can't... The leg is going numb" Tsuna huffed and Nao gently stopped so he could get a breather. They were nearly to the top, according to what Nao had said, they only had a few more minutes to go. As Tsuna sat on the boulder, Nao slipped the black bag from his shoulder and pulled out a green pill.  
"FoR PaIn" Nao said and Tsuna didn't even ask for its name. He gulped it down with the offered water Nao presented to him. "I wanted to hate her you know" Tsuna said apropos of nothing. Nao who was inspecting the wound, looked up and tilted his head in an unspoken question of: who? "I wanted to, Kami knows I wanted to but I could never" Tsuna whispered, his voice breaking from the exhaustion.  
" _ImōTo_ " Nao spoke up and Tsuna nodded without looking at him. Nao stood up from his squat and dusted his hands. "WhY nOt?" He asked when Tsuna used the silence to catch his breath.  
"I guess I love her too much" Tsuna shrugged and Nao's eyes roved over his face, calculating and curious.  
"What is l-" he was going to ask, when the rustling of a nearby shrub made him tense up. Without wasting time, he unsheathed his katana and stood his position in front of Tsuna. They watched as Hiroshi stepped out from the bushes, his mask secured on his face as approached.

"I see you were caught, little bird" Hiroshi said, as he slowly advanced on them. He was confident in his slow strides, his silence stifling as he stopped some steps away. Tsuna could hear the sharp inhale Hiroshi took as he saw the blood that dotted the gauze on his feet and Tsuna felt an urge to run. He felt cornered, even as the vastness of the forest surrounded them. He felt helpless as he looked at Nao's tense back. Not even his skills would be enough to get them both of there.

This trap was more dangerous than the one that caught his leg. On cue, the injury swallowed up his attention as a sharp stabbing sensation made itself known to Tsunayoshi. Hiroshi looked up at him, and he chuckled.

"By the pricking of my thumbs,  
Something wicked this way comes"* Hiroshi quoted and Tsuna felt when all the breath swept away from his lungs.

* * *

There he was, the demon who walked among men, wrapped in a kimono and haori. Matsuoka Hiroshi.

He could feel Tsuna bristling behind him but Nao didn't move, didn't dare keep his eyes off Hiroshi, because it would mean their death. "Because I'm feeling rather generous tonight, I'll give you a choice, half breed. You can either save yourself or the boy" Hiroshi told him, laughing his face when Nao shifted his right foot. He inwardly swore.

It had was only an inch, but even that could have been an opening. He squeezed the hilt of his katana until his callouses compressed against the rough material, debating on the choice he would have to make.  
 **'He isn't worth it'** a voice whispered in his ear and Nao had to resist the urge to close his eyes. **'Your survival above anyone else's. Just like I taught you** ' Mari's voice cut through his thoughts. "Choose, now" Hiroshi demanded and Nao glanced back at Tsunayoshi. The boy had not spoken up since Hiroshi had approached them. He was watching... _Him_? Tsuna was looking at Nao. There was no hope, no fear, no anger in those brown eyes of his, instead only sad acceptance sat snugly in their place.  
Nao's eyes widened as Tsuna patted his chest twice. * _Got it_ * Tsuna's eyes softened at the watery hue that Nao's took on, and squeezed his wrist. Nao looked down and when his stance slackened, Hiroshi laughed again.  
"Leave now before I change my mind" Hiroshi barked, hysteria creeping into his voice.

Nao turned to Tsuna and flattening his hands, he tapped his right hand to his left wrist, bringing it upwards*. _Thank you_. Tsuna smiled, a warm thing that made the walls around his heart crumble at its foundation.

He would thank Tsuna, because it wasn't goodbye. He would get help and then they would make it to the Matsuoka clan house. Together (Lol Avengers much)

"Go" Tsuna mouthed and Nao nodded.

As he ran, he didn't dare look back.

* * *

"Those Isshiki always had betrayal in their veins. Try not to let it get you down too much" Hiroshi taunted as he stepped closer. Behind his mask, he arched an eyebrow as the boy sat back down. Outwardly, the boy held the guise of someone who held no regard for his safety, but Hiroshi could smell the fear wafting from the boy.  
"You do know he's gone to get help, right?" the brat asked and shifted his leg a little, so he could get comfortable.

"Do you think they could make it to you in time?" Hiroshi sneered but the boy just lifted his shoulders in a mocking manner.

"Maybe, maybe not" the little shit just said and Hiroshi wanted to laugh. He held his stomach and hunched forward, as laughter threatened to slip from his mouth. "Before you start…" the weakling piped up and Hiroshi gazed at him through the mask. "…Why did you betray the old fart?" he asked and Hiroshi straightened up. **Oh, this little shit was Nana's son for sure**.

"Think you can handle the truth, boy? Even if it flays you alive, would you still want to know?" Hiroshi taunted and the boy looked at him without flinching.

"Is that what happened with you?" the boy asked and Hiroshi snorted. "There has to be a reason for you to betray your Uncle. I mean he practically took you in, when nobody wanted you" the boy said with a light hum, his pupils dilated and a cruel smile on his face. **Heh. It seemed like there was Matsuoka blood in him after all**.

"Kind of like your own father, ne?" Hiroshi asked, his kind voice a stark contrast to his jagged words. The boy didn't react as he wanted to, just continued to lazily lounge on the boulder.

"I would like to get an answer before the old man comes, you know" the boy said and Hiroshi shook his head.

"How about a story, Tsunayoshi-chan?" Hiroshi asked and clapped his hands behind his back. A raised eyebrow was all the reply he got. "Unlike what people will tell you, my mother DID want me. My parents, before my father died, had tried about ten times to conceive before one day, finally one of the mid wives rushed in with great news. She was ten weeks pregnant. She was elated, overjoyed with the news. She wanted to scream it to the world, wanted to run to her husband to relay the news, but little did she know, that the shadows were conspiring against them. So, the night that she planned to tell her husband, was the night poison made its way into his stomach. He died, never knowing that his son would be coming into this world" Hiroshi said with a shrug. "Time passed. Her child grew and her belly got bigger, her husband's killer was beheaded, things were normal for a while. Then one day, as she was reading to the baby, she could feel something running down her legs. _Blood_. She was swept into the delivering room, ready to bring her boy into the world, when something went wrong" he told him, tapping his left foot against the snow. "You see the boy had always been a fighter and so, when he saw his opening, he tore through her body without any regard for her life. I mean, what kind of child would kill their own mother?!" Hiroshi screamed and Tsuna looked down. "A monster, they called him when he was only five years old. And on most days, he felt like it, because this boy wasn't like the other kids. He couldn't feel what they felt. Couldn't relate to the feeling of love or comradery. He kept telling himself "Why am I like this? Why am I so _empty_?" Hiroshi mockingly bemoaned, with an air of nonchalance. "Until one day, he had stumbled upon a little bluebird. He had broken his wing you see, and so when the boy looked at it, the little bird chirped for help. The hope in its eyes, Kami, you could tell that the stupid thing believed that he would help it. Tragic, really" Hiroshi mused and Tsuna angrily glared off at the side. "His body moved on its own and when he broke its little neck, the boy felt what it meant to be truly ALIVE" Hiroshi laughed as he threw his hands in the air, as though receiving benevolence from the blackened sky. "It had been the first time that contentment settled in his stomach. So, a little thought chirped in his mind. The voice of Kenshukai himself had asked, What if…What if you opened it up?" Hiroshi lamented but Tsuna didn't want to hear anymore. "So, with the same kunai he promised that he would use to protect his clan, he slit open the soft belly. And the voice of Kenshukai was so quiet, that the boy couldn't help but EAT the offering he had made. It was disgusting, really but for the first time in his short life, he _understood_ what he was meant to do" Hiroshi spoke up.

"You're a lunatic" Tsuna spat out and Hiroshi's head snapped in his direction. "There is no happiness to be found in harming others. You're a coward to believe otherwise" He shouted at Hiroshi, who frothed at the mouth at the boy's insolence.

"You are right, Tsunayoshi-kun" came a voice from behind them and they watched as Hisao made his appearance. "A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave." He quoted as a circle of shinobi enclosed around them.

"Kind of hypocritical, don't you think? Coming from a man who heads the Gen'yōsha. From a man who killed his own son" Hiroshi threw at Hisao who raised his hand to stop his shinobi.

"You never did have the whole story, Hiroshi. You don't have the aptitude to understand and accept truth" Hisao countered and Hiroshi snarled at him. Nao emerged from behind Hisao, his eyes strained on Tsuna. "You were a fool to approach him tonight" Hisao said and Hiroshi rolled his eyes behind the mask.

"You of all people, dear Uncle know that fate cannot be stopped. The boy will learn of the destiny that awaits him" Hiroshi preached and it was Hisao's turn to roll his eyes.

"But not today" Hisao refuted and Hiroshi just shrugged before he turned to Tsunayoshi once more.

"From the day you accepted that man's offer, you were thrown out for the slaughter" Hiroshi warned, sliding the mask so his eyes could find Tsuna's. "You'll see, little bird. One day, you'll find yourself with a broken neck too. And do you know who will be your executioner? The same man you call grandfather" Hiroshi prophesized and Hisao tightened his hold on the cane. "I'm not the only demon of the Matsuoka clan" Hiroshi laughed before he dashed away, the shinobi hot on his heels. Tsuna was left reeling with questions, when a hand landed on his shoulder. He looked up and saw his grandfather watching him.

"Let us be on our way" the old man told him but Tsuna jerked away from his touch.

"When this is finished, you WILL tell me everything" he hissed but followed anyway, heavily leaning on Nao once more.

* * *

Once they passed the Torii, Tsuna was struck by the vastness he was met with.  
It was a hidden village nestled away from Iga and within the mountain. There were Minkas* situated on opposing sides of the river that ran through the mountain, large bridges connecting the traditional houses with one another as well as the courtyard itself. These houses were spread in a distorted C, with a circular courtyard in its dead center, right above the water. In the middle of the yard was a large camphor tree hanging low, its branches touching the water underneath it. "We'll get you cleaned up once the ceremony is over" his grandfather told him and Tsuna nodded. He could see the other candidates gathered in two neat lines, standing still in front of ten older men and women. Nao looked over at Tsuna, gauging his reaction, almost expecting to see anger or hatred but Tsuna just smiled at him before taking his place in the second line. He wanted to study the other candidates, had a desire to memorize their faces but Tsuna barely had any energy remaining other than to keep his eyes open.

He squeezed his fists tighter, nails biting into his palms and watched the way his grandfather inspired fear and awe as he slowly marched to the front of crowd, his face impassive as ever. "The Gen'yōsha, welcome you. I, your Soke, congratulate your hard work and dedication for making it here, to this point" his grandfather said, his eyes sharp as he surveyed the group of candidates. "You all have made each and every one of your parents proud. Your victory tonight is just another stepping stone to becoming Soke" he added, as the Elders nodded behind him. Hisao could see some of the candidates, the Ito girl, especially eager and greedy at his words. "The race has ended, my dear candidates, so you may rest tonight. You all have earned it" his grandfather stated, but the others don't even react. Tsuna had been the only to release a sigh of relief. "But before you go, there is one final lesson for the night I must teach all of you" he said and they watched as five figures were marched outside. They were all wearing white, immaculate kimonos with a black bag covering their faces.  
"My dear candidates, this lesson is one of loyalty. We may not have a bushido, but we have a vow that we must never break. A vow of loyalty to our **blood** " he said and Tsuna gaped as the figures knelt on tatami mats that were placed on the concrete ground, right before the candidates and their parents. His throat tightened at the 'slick' that echoed across the silence as they unsheathed their tanto.  
"Watch, and see what happens to failure. Wield your anger and your grief, so when the time comes, you will never break!" he shouted and in eerie synchronization, the metal sliced into their bellies. Tsuna closed his eyes as red stained white.

As the bodies dropped forward, their guts spilling out of their twitching corpses, Tsuna pried his eyes open once more. When he looked up, he had been met with a controlled pride from the parents who refused to react their children's death visibly. _They were all lunatics. All of them._  
"Blood above all else" was whispered around Tsuna and he felt the light grow further away from his dirty hands.

* * *

" _You're going to get punished again" was softly spoken behind her as she poked her stick at the rocks that were settled at the bottom of the river. "You know better than to question sensei" Hinami said, frowning at the girl's feet that wiggled in the water. She had the legs of her pants folded to the knees, as she waded away from Hinami._

 _"You're wrong! He's wrong! This whole thing is wrong!" she said, throwing the stick into the bushes._

 _"Why are we the ones wrong?" Hinami gently asked and the girl with the brown pigtails shook her head._

 _"There's something inside me, Hina-chan. Something that is clawing at my ribs, screaming at me, telling me that what we're doing, what we're learning is not the right way to live" she told her, with her hands pressed against her chest._

 _"This is our tradition, ***. This is our life and the blood that runs through these veins? That is what makes it right" Hinami argued but the girl just kept walking further away from her._

 _"You don't get it, Hina-chan. You don't see the way that with each life we take, how it stains our soul. Our purpose was never to just take" she said, bending down to pick up a stone, glistening with the water. "Death will never be our servant, only our master" she whispered, skipping the stone over the surface._

 _"Where is this coming from?" Hinami asked as the girl turned to her. "Talk like that will only get you into trouble" she admonished._

 _"What purpose does all of this serve? Money? Tradition? Purpose? It doesn't make sense to me, is all" the girl countered and Hinami shook her head._

 _"For your sake, I hope you keep those thoughts to yourself" Hinami told her but the girl looked out at the lush forest, and the feelings inside her only grew. She wanted to create rather than destroy with her hands. Hinami turned to the river's bank, where the other girl's leather bound book was lying along with some scrolls that she had taken from the clan's library. "I hope you're studying for the Kinshi Test, instead of writing down your 'feelings' again" Hinami said, sneering at her with her air quotes._

 _"Maybe, I'll be the one to change the clan" the girl said and Hinami only frowned._

 _"I highly doubt it" a voice drawled and Hinami missed the way the girl froze at the sight of Hiroshi. "Talk like that will get you the pit" Hiroshi said, as Hinami gazed into his eyes. "And we wouldn't want that, would we?" he asked. The girl matched Hiroshi's hatred with her own, which only made his smile grow wider._

 _"Why are you here?" the girl asked and Hiroshi looked around, his gaze wickedly landing on the book._

 _"Just walking around. Fresh air is good for the soul, you know?" Hiroshi told her._

 _"Do you even have a soul in that body of yours, Hi-ro-shi?" the girl taunted and Hinami turned around to glare at her. Hiroshi just smiled._

 _"How pitiful. What would your father say, if he heard his daughter, the great *** speaking in such a manner. Tsk, tsk, tsk. He would be devastated" Hiroshi said, with the back of his hand pressed against his forehead. "It would be fitting though. A weak daughter to crush a weak heart" he muttered, but only the girl had heard him. Hinami had been too busy, glaring at the other girl, too preoccupied with apologizing to Hiroshi, to hear him._

 _"What a nasty boy, I see. My eyes do gaze upon a tragedy" the girl rhymed and Hiroshi rolled his eyes._

 _"Oh, what is that in front of me? That which is filth, I decree" Hiroshi whipped at her and Hinami sighed._

 _"Really?" she asked them both. Hiroshi shrugged and the girl turned her head away from them._

 _"Hold fast, little bird. We'll see how long you will last" Hiroshi sang and the girl scoffed as he left._

 _"I hate him" the girl declared and stomped out of the water, to fetch her things._

 _"I don't see why" Hinami said and the girl just lowered her pant legs as she sat down on the rocky bank, so she could put on her sandals. When Hinami turned her back to watch Hiroshi walk off, the girl could feel the chilly wickedness behind that blank mug of his. Damn bastard._

 _"Because he's a demon" the girl mumbled and looked up at the birds that flew over their heads, disappearing into the white clouds. Maybe, she wasn't strong enough. "Gekko, I don't know if I can do this" she sighed and stood up. "Let's go" she said, grabbing up her things. She didn't even wait for Hinami as she walked off. She was too busy thinking about the future to stop._

* * *

Notes:

"By the pricking of my thumbs,  
Something wicked this way comes." (IV.i44-45)

William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

*Two pats to the chest is "Got it" in Japanese Sign Language.

* A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave." - Mahatma Gandhi.

*Minkas - are vernacular houses constructed in any one of several traditional Japanese building styles.

* * *

Q&A

Blade: Hah! He's moving because of pure determination and the author's cruelty. Frosty-sensei is sorry.

Yuki: Oh what another awesome review.

You're really observant. Asking all the right questions and giving Frosty-sensei some compliments TOO! ~(^.^)~

For your inquiry: Is the girl really Nana? And was the boy Hiroshi, at the beginning of the last chapter?

Maybe….Maybe not.

I don't want to spoil anything too much but these snippets of the past and the diary entries are vital to understanding Hiroshi and the mess that's happening in the Matsuoka clan and the organization on a whole.

You're right about the position of Soke though.

Originally, I was going to follow the typical path and make it something that the heir would inherit but when I thought about it, the shinobi were so strong, that they were considered the boogeymen/women (because I'm all about equality) in Japan at a particular period in time.

The more I read from the articles I got online, I realized how much dedication, training and secrecy that surrounded these shinobi and in order to at least give them the most justice I could offer in this fic, I made the position of Soke, something hard to obtain. So you're right "Ass kicking equals authority" (Awesome quote by the way)

TheLaughingStalkGuy: You really did make me laugh, my dude. I was going for the brotherly trope, so I don't know how it managed to translate as 'Yaoi' to you (Oh I am about that life too but they're like really young in this, so it wasn't my intention to include such spiciness in this fic)

Does anyone get that vibes or was it just this person?

* * *

A/N:

 **HEADS UP** :

There be a time skip in the future. So look out for that.

Just wanted to thank the people who read AND added this to their favorites or their follows.

To the frustrated ones: We're diving into canon in Chapter 22. So worry not. (Decided to delve into canon earlier so...had to scrap some plans and rewrite some stuff)

Frosty-sensei knows what she's doing. (Ha I'm lying)

Talk to you in the next chappie.

PS: For my Stony shippers out there (No Anti-Tony please), I'm on tumblr as uzulover. So holler at me so we can scream at the beauty of our soft bois together.


	22. ChApTeR 21

ChApTeR 21 – The edge's call

"Beyond the edge of the world there's a space where emptiness and substance neatly overlap, where past and future form a continuous, endless loop. And, hovering about, there are signs no one has ever read, chords no one has ever heard."  
― **Haruki Murakami** , **Kafka on the Shore**

* * *

Tsuna felt the cold deep within his bones, chilling him from the inside out. The red that met white, made him shiver again. His eyes were wide and watery, his face flushed with fever. His lips were cracked and bruised, having bitten down on his lower lip in his attempt not to throw up at the limp bodies in front of him. They were small in death, their age obvious in their tiny slumped forms and not for the first time, his heart ached. "Let's get you cleaned up" his grandfather broke through his musings and Tsuna nodded. Leaning on his grandfather, so that he wouldn't place all of his weight on his injured feet, they walked across the bridge, as the evening sky reflected in the dark, green water that ran through the village. "You did really well" his grandfather said, his voice soft with emotion.

"It was all Nao, really" Tsuna said with a weak smile, glancing at the other boy who shied off into the shadows. Tsuna shook his head and looked around to see that the other candidates were escorted off the courtyard by their parents. They were all ready to get some rest just as the Soke told them to do.

"He likes you" his grandfather spoke up, but Tsuna didn't answer. Realizing that Tsuna wasn't in the mood to entertain any conversation, his grandfather allowed the silence to settle between them as they walked through the crisp night together, lit with the same paper lanterns that guided them up the mountains. The word loyalty started to sound like the beginning of a bad joke. "You all are given your own rooms, but you will have to share a bath though" his grandfather said as they walked down the little alleyway between the spaces the Minkas created, moss gathered at the foundation, a visual tell of how long they had been there. "Ah, here we are. The dorm" his grandfather announced and Tsuna's eyes widened at the simplistic bamboo fence that cut off their Minka from the rest of the village. The entrance was flanked with two large _Pagoda Pillars_ *. As they walked up the steps, he could see the other candidates disappearing in the deeper interior, unfazed and unbothered by both Tsuna as well as his grandfather. "And this is your room. When you're ready, the bath is in the back" his grandfather said, nodding at the _fusuma_.

"Thanks" Tsuna said, sliding the _fusuma_ open. He wasn't in the mood to speak really, because a numbness that had nothing to do with his injured leg, had settled over Tsuna's body and mind. He wanted to drop his face first on a soft mattress, and forget everything that happened in the last few days.

"I know it's a lot to take in, Tsunayoshi but once you get used to this life, you'll see understand why sacrifice is necessary in everything we do" his grandfather said and when Tsuna looked at him, he felt disconnected in the way that he just didn't care anymore.

"Yeah" Tsuna said and entered his room, sliding the _fusuma_ (Sliding Doors) behind him.

* * *

The ache in his leg made him pause his descent, struggling not to jostle the wound too much. Once he managed to sit down on the futon placed on the tatami flooring, he didn't even bother to crawl under the duvet. He just twisted his body to the right, and pressed his face down on the sheets that smelled like lavender. He knew he should take a bath, should wash off all the blood, sweat and grime that made him smell worse than he probably looked, but the fatigue was too much to handle. So, without another thought, Tsuna closed his eyes and it wasn't before long that he drifted off to sleep.

 _Tsuna woke up to the sun caressing his face and wind tickling his nose. He woke up warm and full of happiness. The pain from the last few days faded to the background, death and blood far from his mind. As he sat, he saw that he was lying down in a patch of daffodils, surrounded by the immense blueness of a clear sky and a calm sea._

 _He was near a cliff's edge._

 _"I was expecting you" a voice spoke and Tsuna's eyes widened as he saw Rinko sitting not too far from him. She was wearing a beautiful yellow dress that fluttered in the wind, and a smile on her face. "Come sit with me" she beckoned him over, patting the ground beside her._

 _"What are you doing here? Where….Why…" he whispered, but stopped as his throat tightened. He sat down next to her, cautious as ever because the last time he saw her, she was just a corpse lying in some alleyway._

 _"I don't really know myself" Rinko said, looking out at the endless glittering sea. "But, I can tell you one thing. I'm happier here" she added with giddy laugh._

 _"I wanted to save you" Tsuna sobbed, his face buried in his hands, body shaking with his grief._

 _He wanted her to be_ _ **ALIVE**_ _and happy._

 _When she pulled his hands away from his face, he looked at her through a watery veil. Her eyes softened at his messy face, and using her thumbs, she wiped away the tears._

 _"You did" she softly told him, hushing him when he wanted to cry again. "You were the second person in the ENTIRE world who succeeded" she said, pressing their foreheads together. The smell of oranges was stronger then._

 _"But Yuiji" Tsuna said, and Rinko smiled again, bright and warm like her existence had been._

 _"He will be okay. His father may not have loved me, but he loves Yuiji enough to look after him" Rinko said, and Tsuna sniffed, struggling with himself. "Hey, it's okay. I'll always be with you both" she reassured him, running her hands through his hair, scratching at the scalp._

 _"You deserved so much more" Tsuna confessed and Rinko looked down at the enormous drop and the waves that slammed against the rocks._

 _"Did you know, that all it takes, is a tiny step to fall?" she lamented and turned to him._

 _"Sometimes, the people we love are the ones to push us over that edge" she added and gently clasped her hands over Tsuna's._

 _"I won't forget you" Tsuna blurted out and she smiled, though it was tinged with sadness._

 _"Nor will I" she confessed, pressing her hand over his heart. "I pray that the world is kind to you, Tsunayoshi, just as you've been with me. I pray that no matter how much you may fall, that you will possess the strength to get back up. For you are the brightest_ _ **Kaen**_ _in this dark world" she whispered, pulling away._

 _"Will I ever see you again?" he asked, following her as she stood up. She turned her body to him, and placing her hands on his shoulders, she shrugged._

 _"Don't cry for me Tsunayoshi" she said, and he screamed as she pushed him over the edge._

* * *

Tsuna woke up, fighting the duvet of his futon, his skin soaked and sticking to his clothes. He could still hear Rinko's voice, the soft timbre sick with a kind of melancholy that spoke of heartache. Tsuna felt his head swirl with too much unanswered questions, so much so that he hadn't noticed the little old lady sitting near his leg.

"You stink" is what greeted Tsuna when the storm finally cleared. The old woman, Kotoko from Iga smiled at him, as he sat up confused and surprised as she nudged the sheets. "Let me have a look at that leg of yours, you silly boy" she gently chided and Tsuna did as he was told. Grimacing at the pain, he managed to lift his leg and place it on her lap.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as she uncapped the green glass jar. She rolled up the pant leg and he watched her as she worked. Using her index and middle finger, she scooped out a glop of grey mud.

"Someone was worried about you so they sent me" she said, as she slathered the wound with the foul smelling mud. He arched an eyebrow but winced at the sting. "He was a little hurt you know" she added but Tsuna didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing. "He seems to think that once you get used to this place, only then will you appreciate our ways" she said, recapping the jar and wiping her hands on a towel. Tsuna rolled his eyes and looked down at his leg in awe. The pain had been reduced to just a slight jab. He watched as she took some gauze and gently wrapped it around the wound and the mud.

"And what do you think?" He asked, watching as she finished working. She hummed as she gathered up her supplies and stood up.

"I think that you won't be the one to adapt to our ways, rather the other way around" she said with a breathy laugh. Tsuna smiled little and she tilted her head as she watched him. "Now don't get that wound of yours wet. It needs some time to heal. Just as much as this" she said, pointing to the temple of her head. He frowned and looked away, but she kept staring at him.

"What?" he asked and she just smiled. Something small and limp, like those children who had killed themselves.

"You're different from when I last saw you" she added and he shrugged. He had noticed it too.

"What do you mean?" He asked despite himself, because he wanted to know the answer. She seemed to know it too, as she slid the _fusuma_ open. For a minute he pondered on whether or not she would reply, when she seemed to humor him.

"You're sadder" she said and left it at that as she walked out of the room. Tsuna shook his head and slumped back down on the futon, his hands covering his eyes. "And don't forget to clean up yourself. You stink!" she shouted from behind the fusuma, cackling when she heard Tsuna floundering inside his room.

* * *

"What did you see?" a voice called out from the dark, his eyes focused on the still water in front of him. "What did you find?" the voice whispered in his ear, the words caressing his neck.

"Nothing" he replied, his hands clutching the Hannya mask tighter. "Nothing" he shouted, frustration frothing at his mouth.

"You're lying. You're a liar" the voice taunted with a laugh, as the water rippled and broke his reflection. "You see the future, one where the boy kills you or even worse, he saves you" the voice mumbled as a hand, cold like the mask, stroked his wrist.

"He's Nana's son" Hiroshi refuted, turning away. He could almost see her, standing before him with a cold glare, and a hand ready to cut him down.

"But…he's his father's son as well" the voice told him, the wind curling around his clothes and slithering against his skin. "A **Kaen** that never dies" the voice spoke, and Hiroshi threw the mask against the wall.

"He doesn't have it" Hiroshi said, with a shake of his head. "He didn't have it" he screamed, clutching his hair.

"Maybe, he wasn't the **Cielo,** you were looking for" the voice stated and Hiroshi looked up. "Only time will tell" the voice told him, and disappeared into the night.

* * *

Notes:

Pagoda Pillars: these are stone lanterns that are in the shape of a Pagoda.

Fusuma is a sliding door in traditional Japanese homes.

Kaen is Flame in Japanese (or so the internet says)

Cielo is Sky in Italian.

* * *

A/N:

It's been awhile folks.

Exams and work had me feeling all kinds of way, but I'm back.

For the moment.

I originally wanted to make this chapter longer, but I decided to cut it short.

As we proceed, you'll get more details on the clan and the mysteries they hold, but for now, we're going to ease their storyline in the background so canon could come forward.

So as I said, there will be a time skip in the next chapter and an even different Tsuna.

Whoop, don't you just love it when authors have decided to jump forward in time, providing little to no context of character growth and plot? Yes, yes we do (and even if you don't….welp too bad)

PS: Did you get to see Infinity War as yet?

I already saw it myself, but I'm going to see it again tomorrow….

I'm expecting my popcorn to be extra salty.

I'm a masochist like that.


	23. ChApTeR 22

Chapter 22 – Six years later (so you guys won't be too confused on how much time passed)

So from what people are saying, they're a little confused with the age.

Tsuna is 16 here and Teruko is twelve 12 years old.

 **Warning** : There has been a shift from the usage of past tense grammar to that of the present tense.

"I sit beside the fire and think  
Of all that I have seen  
Of meadow flowers and butterflies  
In summers that have been

Of yellow leaves and gossamer  
In autumns that there were  
With morning mist and silver sun  
And wind upon my hair

I sit beside the fire and think  
Of how the world will be  
When winter comes without a spring  
That I shall ever see

For still there are so many things  
That I have never seen  
In every wood in every spring  
There is a different green

I sit beside the fire and think  
Of people long ago  
And people that will see a world  
That I shall never know

But all the while I sit and think  
Of times there were before  
I listen for returning feet  
And voices at the door"  
― **J.R.R. Tolkien**

* * *

The day he returns home, the sky is clear and blue, while the leaves are a healthy shade of green. He's wearing a plaid shirt, the sleeves long enough to hide the scars on his arms and a pair of washed out jeans along with a dirty pair of chucks. His hair is as wild as ever, fluffy in its chaos, with his bangs falling over his eyes. He's tall (something that surprised even him) and lean with a hint of muscles under his clothes. He fingers the necklace that lays snug on his plain white tee, the pendant is a little silver turtle dove that shines as he walks. He ignores the intrigued stares that are thrown his way as walks down his street, the noise of his luggage clashing against the sluggish noises of the suburb. He glanced at the trees and catches himself thinking about how Nao would just love it here. He smiled at the thought and continued on his way to his house. He missed the other boy, who became the closest thing he had to a best friend.  
Nao had insisted that he come, but Tsuna reminded him of how important it had been to have his second stay behind to act as the heir in his place.

 _So reluctantly, Nao had dropped him off at the airport, flanked with his bodyguards, a frown marring his face. 'I don't want you to go' he signed. Nao, had gotten clingy as they grew closer, afraid that Tsuna would replace him or even leave him behind. So, Tsuna had to remind him, that his place would always be beside him. Even before he could open his arms, Nao launched himself towards Tsuna, hugging the breath out of his lungs._  
 _"I have to do this, you know that" Tsuna mumbles as he pats his back, carefully avoiding his hair. "Teruko-chan needs me" he adds and Nao pulls away. The killer in the other boy surfaced in his eyes and Tsuna laughed. Nao who took years to get comfortable in his skin, who didn't need to wear the mask anymore, smiled at Tsuna._  
 _'Skype me as soon as you get there' Nao signed and Tsuna rolled his eyes but nodded. 'Stay safe' he told him and Tsuna pressed a hand on Nao's chest, right above his heart._  
 _"Always" he responded and left before the tears could roll down Nao's face._

Standing in front of his house, he blinks away the memory, staring at front door, he pauses. There's only silence coming from inside, as expected since his sister is at school and his father is still 'away' at work. His mother, he can feel, is coming around the corner, her haul from the market is in her hands. She's humming to herself as her dress blows in the wind, her sandaled feet crushing the stones that are loose on the street. He can sense the moment she sees his back, a predator inching its ways towards him, her killing intent boiling under her skin at the potential threat on the threshold of her home. However when the realization hits her, the intent shifts and bleeds out of her system. When he turns around, a gentle smile on his face, her feet skids to a halt.

"Hey mom" he greets her and he clenches his calves as she pushes her way into his space. He laughs as brown hair slaps against his mouth as she buries her face in his chest. "What... Dad didn't say you were coming!" she stammers and it's not every day you get the drop on the infamous Blue Angel. She uses her strength to squeeze him close and he swears he hears his ribs creak under the pressure. "Look at you" she says through a breathless exhale. He smiles as she maps out his matured face, taking in the changes that six years wrought on his face. His chubby cheeks had hollowed out, and his brown eyes are no longer as bright as they used to be. Her index finger runs along the thin silver scar around his neck, evidence of the close call that came to ending his life. "How are you even going to explain that to Ruko?" She laughed and Tsuna joined her.  
"Makeup" he told her and he held her close as she laughed even more.

* * *

After dumping his luggage in his room, escaping the nostalgia that came with it, he joined his mother in the kitchen. He crossed his long legs, watching as she moved around the small space, with his chin pressed against the palm of his hand. "So care to tell me what brings you back here?" She asks as she places a tea bag in each of the two mugs placed on the table. He rubs a hand over his eyes and looks at her.  
"We got intel on Hiroshi" he says and her back tenses at the name. "He had been rather busy over the past few years, searching for a particular **Kaen** as he called it" he informs her, tapping his fingers on the table. "You know exactly what I'm talking about don't you? " he asks but she doesn't reply, as she pours the scalding water in the cups.  
"Years ago, when I was the **wakagashira** (First lieutenant) to the Soke, word had reached the clans, about a man who could wield a mysterious power, something more potent than the **CHI** we could harness. It was a **Kaen** that only a select few could possess" she intones and he nods as he pulls out the tea bag. "We sent scouts to Italy, where this phenomenon ravaged the underworld. We could only retrieve a sliver of information from our scouts who we learnt all passed away from 'natural' deaths. We only got two things from the last scout who 'crashed' into a tree on call to the Soke. One: the organization called themselves the mafia. And Two: different families or _familgia_ had different flames, but the most affluent would be the **Vongola** " she says, as she stirs a spoon in her mug.

"The old man said that the Gen'yōsha placed the investigation on hold but Hiroshi was obsessed with greed" he says and she nods.  
"He argued that night I remember. He said 'We are too weak with CHI alone. We can't possibly maintain our title as best in the business until we expand our power. We have to steal that _Kaen_ for ourselves, harness it for our own benefit so the clan could survive'. Dad always listened to Hiroshi and so he took his argument to heart. After that, it was decided they would send another _**scout**_ to obtain more information and if possible gain their trust" she admits and when she remains silent, he sighs.

 _He had remembered that particular conversation he had with his grandfather, his face solemn as he listened to everything the old man had to say. He remembers sitting in front of his grandfather, hatred coiled around his heart. "At the time, before Hiroshi's fall, we thought-I thought, it was the only way" his grandfather said, hands clasped together. Their clan had suffered under the last internal war that ravaged through the Gen'yōsha, the one prompted by their own blood, as a means to vengeance. In the end, the loss of both their men as well as their manpower had been too great and so when Hiroshi came up with the idea, his grandfather latched onto it like a fool._

" ** _You_** " he fills in the blanks and she nods. "You were the one to tell them that the flames were not earned, it was inherited. You lied to your Soke" he whispers and she looks away.  
"I didn't love your father for a while" she says as she swirls the cup in her hands. He's a little surprised at her statement but remains passive as ever. "But as I got to know him, as I saw how passionate and kind he could be, I didn't even know it, but I fell in love with him. He's the sun, Tsuna-kun. He lights up my world everyday even when he's not here. So I lied to protect us. I lied because I didn't want to leave him. I was selfish in my love and I didn't care. And then when your grandfather realized that I had lied, I had already married your father and was pregnant with you" she states and Tsuna sipped on his tea.  
"And now Teruko is in danger" Tsuna says and his mother looks down at her hands. "He knows about everything. He's coming for her and those rings" he tells her in the quiet of the kitchen. "That hitman, Reborn has already been assigned to her teaching. From what my source tell me, they say he will be here tomorrow" he says and his mother nods.  
"We... I thought you would be the one to succeed the Ninth, but... Well you did take after me in more ways than one" she sadly smiles and Tsuna shrugs.  
"A legacy is still a legacy, even if it is bathed in blood" he tells her and she snorts.  
"You sound like him" she tells him and looks at the concealed scar. "He told me that you dominated **No Man's Land** " she adds and he frowns.  
"You make it sound like it's a good thing" he scoffs and her lips twist in a wry grin.  
"It's not every day that you obtain the title of the Soke's heir, Tsunayoshi-kun" she refutes but before he can respond, the door clinks open. They listen as Teruko slams the door shut, scrambling to take off her shoes as she calls out to their mother. He listens to her as she walks to the kitchen, giggling as she tapped on her phone, not even looking at him as she sat down.  
"It's been awhile" he softly says as he takes in his little sister's face. She's beautiful with her short blonde hair that touches the end of her ears, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Her face is round as Tsuna's had been and her button nose is scrunched up at his voice. She's tiny in weight and height, every bit of the doll, that their father calls her.  
"Oh hey bro" she mutters as her azure eyes, brighter than the sky had been, flicker to him before returning to her phone. He chuckles as she freezes, her phone cluttering to the table as her hands shake. She's gaping like a fish out of water, pointing to Tsuna as she stares at their mother. "Is he...?" she whispers and when her mother nods, she screams like she's being pursued by masked killer. He laughs as she jumps onto his lap, clinging to him like a koala. "Tuna-kun" she sobs and buries her face on his shoulder. He rubs her back soothingly as she cries out six years of anguish at their separation until she pulls away, face red and blotchy.  
"You really missed your Aniki, huh?" he teases her, whilst using his sleeves to wipe away the wetness from her cheeks.  
"Shut up" Teruko slaps his shoulder playfully and cups his face. "Wow... Are you really …Aniki?" she asks, amazed with what she finds.  
"The one and only" he says and she presses her forehead on his chest.  
"How long?" She asks and Tsuna looks at their mother.  
"Until the end of this semester" he says and she looks up at him.  
"Really?" She ask, excitement lighting up her face as she stands up. "Yes, yes, yes!" she screams and claps her hands. She storms out of the room to relay the news to her friends, but stops to kiss his cheek again, before running off.  
"As you can see, she's really missed you" their mother says and Tsuna smiles at her.

* * *

"How are things on your end?" Tsuna asks as he's folding his clothes in his drawer. Nao is signing away from his position on screen of his laptop, frowning when Tsuna turns. "Yeah, yeah I'm paying attention" he mutters but pulls his curtains back when he senses something outside his window. He looks out at the street and he sees the darkness shift and disappear, a hint of green flashing in the distance. "Well, it looks like Kaito was wrong" he tells Nao, whose eyes narrow at him. "He's already here" he whispers as the curtains slide shut.  
'Does that mean Kaito was caught?' Nao asks and Tsuna shakes his head as he crosses his arms.  
"It means that he's compromised" Tsuna says, shelving the books that were in his bag.  
'He wouldn't betray us' Nao refutes and Tsuna runs a finger down the spine of his copy of "Kafka on the Shore". He can feel Nao's eyes tracking every one of his movements as he sits down.  
"I know but I'm not in the position to accept blind assumptions. We'll have to send someone to get us a feel of what's going on over there" Tsuna tells him and Nao nods.  
'You think he was forced to give us wrong information' Nao signs and Tsuna nods, rubbing at his mouth. 'We'll look into it' he assures him and Tsuna shoots him a grateful smile.  
'I know you will. Look after the old man for me' Tsuna signs and Nao replies with a fond look.  
'He misses you. Told me to tell you to avoid any sharp objects' Nao signs and Tsuna smiles.  
"Is that so?" He asks and Nao shrugs, his eyes dancing with mirth while his hair shifts from the movement. "There's more?" he asks when Nao shoots him a sly smirk.  
'Kiyoshi said the maids caught him crying when you left' Nao admits and Tsuna throws his head back, holding his belly as he laughed.  
"That soft bastard" Tsuna muttered as he wiped away the tears. Nao is grinning, smug and pleased. "Take care of yourself" he tells him when he senses Teruko at his door, no doubt listening in.  
'Always' he signed and with a pat to the heart as well as a reluctant look, Nao logs off.  
Not after a while later, Teruko knocks on his door and he closes his laptop.  
"Come in" he calls and when the door opens, he smiles at Teruko who's holding her pillow. "Well, come on then" he pats the bed and smiles as she rushes towards him.

* * *

Teruko is floating on cloud nine when she sits down for breakfast. Tsuna is dressed in the Namimori high school's uniform, lazily chewing on a piece of toast. Their mother sings to Plastic Love by Mariya, the tune playfully playing filling the silence. She's happier, Teruko notices, as she dances with an apron tied around her waist and a spatula in hand. "Who do you walk to school with?" Tsuna asks and Teruko smiles.  
Before she can answer, the door opens and Kyoko storms in, out of breathe with a flushed face.  
"You son of a... "She hisses and a hand clamps over her mouth as Ryohei grins at them.  
"It's been awhile" Tsuna says and winces when Kyoko punches him. Before he can apologize, she pulls him a fierce hug. When the scent of oranges assault his nostrils, he blinks away the images and nostalgia that pushes at the walls of his mind. She pulls away, cheeks fresh with tears and punches him again.  
"That was for not messaging me on **Line** , you ass" she snarls and her cheeks burn when she meets Nana's eyes. She bows and apologizes but their mother laughs at her.  
"Sawada-san!" Ryohei chirps up, and Tsuna turns to him. "It is good to see you again!" he loudly states and Tsuna arches an eyebrow at Kyoko who shrugs.  
"You four are going to be late" Nana says and Ryohei runs off, screaming about a boxing with Tsuna. Kyoko fondly rolls her eyes and follows suit, while Tsuna grabs his back pack from off the floor.  
"See you later" he says and kisses his mother's cheek, as Teruko runs upstairs for her backpack. Their heads snap to the roof, sensing the lurking danger before Tsuna sighs. He smiles at his mother and without a word, he's out the door.  
"So" Kyoko says as they open the gate. "Tell me everything" she pipes up and he resists the urge to groan.  
"Mom, I'm leaving!" Teruko shouts as she rushes at the door but her mom is already at the genkan waiting.  
"You're not off the hook yet, young lady" her mom says, placing a bento in her hands and stops her, before she can leave. "You're getting a tutor" she states without any room for argument. In fact, she shows her the failed tests that Teruko tried to hide. Teruko is ready to release a whine and complain, but her mother cuts her off with swift kiss to the forehead. "Go on before your brother leaves you behind" she says and Teruko's eyes widen before dashing off to catch up.

* * *

Reborn watches the girl as she races towards her brother and his friend, face flushed with fatigue and exertion. The girl is exactly as he's pictured from the folder both her father and the Ninth had prepared for him.

From what he's read, she's outgoing, loved by her peers, friends and family alike. She has a 'bubbly' personality, that enables her to get along with almost everyone, but like her brother, she's- He arches an eyebrow as she slams to the ground as a result of her unfortunate tumble. Her brother, the one who reminds him of….babbles out an apology as he picks her up, wiping away her tears, and soothing her pain. Luckily the fall doesn't break any skin.

His friend, the pretty girl, splutters at the sight of Teruko's tears, as though somehow her clumsiness is their fault. Reborn watches as they sit her down, the pretty girl uses her own handkerchief to wipe Teruko's cheeks. He sighs, a little, as he watches them coddle the girl once more, before walking off, and jumps down from the wall. Turning his attention to the Sawada household, he approaches the woman humming under her breath, a large hat over her head as she kneels in the dirt. She's tending to the flowers with large padded gloves, unaware of the world outside of her own little bubble she's created, with a blissful smile on her face. "Ciaossu" he says, the squeak of a childish voice, catching her attention. She lifts her head and Reborn's hand shifts to his Leon.

It had been a blip, a mere second, but he swore he felt something cold wrap itself around the woman, as her eyes landed on him. The hairs at the back of his neck are standing on end and even Leon is restless. It could have been a fluke, a testament to how on edge Reborn had been during the past few days, but he knows NEVER to mistrust his own senses.

As a hitman, he's been trained to rely on his senses, especially the one that protects him from danger, a sixth sense if you would please. And this one is screaming and blaring signals, telling him deep within in his core "SOMETHING IS WRONG" as she turns all of her attention on him.

"Yes, dear?" she asks, pulling off the gloves as she bodily turns to him. "Oh, how cute!" she squeals and with her dopey smile, the feelings crumbles to ash as she squeezes him against her chest, pinching at his cheeks.

Nestled against her bosom, his eye twitches in agitation.

He allows it, because if he killed the woman, then that would just make his assignment more difficult than it needed to be. He pulls away from her and fixes his tuxedo, pride blown to pieces as he massages his sore cheeks. "How can I help you?" she asks, leaning back on her heels, goofily grinning at them. Before he can respond, she offers him some iced tea. She doesn't wait for an answer, she picks him up and they walk inside. He shakes off his initial reaction, and relaxes on his chair as she pours him a glass of iced tea.

"I heard you were looking for a tutor" Reborn tells her as she sits him down at the kitchen table. She hums and sits down opposite from him, a contemplative look on her face.

"And how did you hear that, my dear?" she asks with a sweet tone as she watches him sip his tea. **She's perceptive.**

"You mentioned it to Mrs. Kougi, who referred me to you, as I've tutored her oldest son, Asahi" he responds and she nods.

"I see" she says and taps her fingers against the table. "And how do you plan on helping Ruko-chan? You're just a baby" she tells him and he smiles under his fedora.

"Oh, I haven't introduced myself to you as yet, have I? My name is Reborn and I'm the world's greatest tutor" he proudly announces and retrieves a piece of paper that is marked "MY RESUME". He slides the document to her and as she reads it, her eyes widen. _**GOTCHA.**_

"I come with an impressive background and a cheap fee" he says and she claps her hands together.

"Well, it's been decided. You shall tutor our dear, Teruko-chan" she says and they stretch out their hands to seal the deal.

* * *

Notes:

 **CHI** : is the energy force that which gives life. In India it is referred to as Prana, the Japanese refer to it as KI (i.e. see Dragon Ball Z), and for Native Americans, they refer to it as the Great Spirit.

 **No Man's Land** : Ok, so like I know I didn't give any context as what or where this is, so don't worry. All you need to know is that it is the last test that the surviving candidates had to pass in order to determine the heir of the Soke.

 **Line** : is a messaging app

A/N: Wow much confusion.

Okay, so there you have it, canon (ish) events.

We had some revelations, and stuff….guys… I'm tired. I didn't even get a chance to read the reviews like….I'll get to it soon. Much love to you all.

I'll see you in the next chapter.


	24. ChApTeR 23

ChApTeR 23- Human condition

Warning: Swearing and violence

"You seem to be under the impression that there is a special breed of bad humans. There is no such thing as a stereotype bad man in this world. Under normal conditions, everybody is more or less good, or, at least, ordinary. But tempt them, and they may suddenly change. That is what is so frightening about men."  
― **Natsume Sōseki** , **Kokoro**

* * *

The thing about darkness, it twists you out of shape. It bends you, breaks you into something unrecognizable, fractures your reflection into a hideous image you can't claim. Sometimes, when he closes his eyes, he can still hear screaming, can still smell blood, can see it on his hands, dirtying the porcelain skin of his hands. Sometimes, even as he's walking beside his sister and Kyoko, he can feel it edging at his consciousness, laughing when his right-hand twitches with the desire to plunder. "You've been awfully quiet" Kyoko says, as they watch Teruko busily typing away on her phone. He's happy that at least one them gets to keep their innocence.

"She's happy huh" Tsuna says and Kyoko is radiating heat beside him. "She seems happy at least" he adds and Kyoko smiles.

"She missed you a lot, especially those months after you left" Kyoko says, because she knows. When Tsuna had left, she made sure to always visit the Sawada household, as she felt it was her duty to look in on them for her best friend's sake. "And what about you? Are you happy?" Kyoko asks and Tsuna doesn't answer, nor does he get a chance to, as Teruko has joined them. She's nervous from what Tsuna can tell. "Oh" Kyoko laughs and Tsuna blinks, ignorant as Teruko blushes.

"Oh what?" Tsuna asks, looking around. The only thing he sees is a tallish boy with an easy-going demeanor waiting at the gate. He has a pleasant smile, though if Tsuna is honest, the boy has a rather plain face.

"Oh, as in-…" Kyoko says, but Teruko furiously shushes her. Tsuna, confused as ever, watches as the boy beams when he finally notices Teruko.

"Is he?" Tsuna asks, bending his pinky at Teruko. Tsuna watches the red as it creeps onto her cheeks in blotches and he frowns.

"No, we're just…. f-f-friends! Baka!" Teruko screams and runs away, even going out of her way to ignore the boy as she darted off into her school. Tsuna looks at Kyoko, bewildered as ever, while she shakes her head.

"What?" he asks as they walk off, while Kyoko tsks at him.

* * *

"Teruko" Yamamoto shouts, running past the perplexed students in an act to catch up to her. Teruko stops when she feels an icy glare directed at her head and nearly swears. "Hey" he says, as she turns her head to the side, her face burning. "You okay?" he asks, and she hates the concern in his voice. She's not special, she knows, because Yama, he's nice to everyone, he's always concerned about the people around him, even the ones who aren't worth it. So, **no** , of course she's not special, this concern he's showing for her, it's normal. She flinches at the hand on her shoulder and shoots a smile at her friend, when she sees the hurt flash across his face.

"I'm fine, just….my brother, he's embarrassing" she whispers and Yamamoto laughs, the one that adds even more red to her cheeks, the one that holds the world to a pause, the one that robs the air from her lungs, and damn….now she's the embarrassing one.

"So that's Aniki" Yamamoto teases and Teruko pushes her forehead on his chest, just as she always does when he teases her. The touch is light, because if it had been up to her, she would push her face on the way against his shirt, just to feel his heartbeat thump against her cheek.

"Yeah" she admits and forces herself to push away from him. He's smiling at her, the one that lights up his entire face and she can't help herself, she smiles too.

"What are you two doing here!" Ryohei shouts and she sighs as the silence blows up in smoke as her childhood friend jogs in place as he stares at them. She glares at the knowing twinkle in his eyes and lets out a chuckle at her.

"Didn't you run ahead of us this morning? Why are you here?" she rudely asks, and Yamamoto flicks her elbow. She hisses at him and he smiles innocently at her.

"Let's go before HE comes looking for you two" Ryohei laughs and Teruko forces her body not to spasm at the mention of the demon. Ryohei darts off in a run, and when Teruko goes to follow him, she tries not to glare at the girls who approach Yamamoto.

"Great game, Yamamoto-senpai" one of them giggles, and Yamamoto, who's always been oblivious as ever, laugh. They snidely glare at Teruko who doesn't even cower, instead she provokes them. Her gaze translates into bitch talk as "Come at me then". They ignore her as they engage Yamamoto into conversation, and Teruko can feel the anger burning through her veins.

"Are you coming?" Yamamoto asks when he FINALLY realizes she's not by his side anymore. Teruko forces a smile and nods but doesn't follow as the little group disappears into the school. The smile slides off her face and she releases a sigh.

"Ciaossu" someone chirps, and she jumps when she sees a fedora wearing baby(?), staring at her. "My name is Reborn, and I am your tutor" the baby grins, and Teruko shivers at the maniacal look in his eyes.

* * *

After dropping Teruko off to her school, Tsuna finds himself walking with Kyoko down the halls of his supposed new school. He tugs at the tie around his neck and Kyoko shoots him a sly smile at the way his eyebrows pinch together in irritation. "How did you even manage to get transferred to this school so fast?" she asks, and Tsuna glances at her from the corner of her eyes. He can see the gazes that are sent his way, how people are whispering about him.

He ignores them, ignores the itch that starts at the base of his skull, ignores the way the heat threatens to overpower his control, and instead sends a bland smile to Kyoko.

"I have my secrets" he tells her, and she rolls her eyes, pausing at their classroom. He must go to their homeroom teacher before he can start his classes.

"Be careful" she warns him and without looking at him, she leaves him alone in the hallway. As he's walking up the stairs to get to the teacher's lounge, he smells it. A metallic scent that carries on the wind. **Blood**.

He takes a few steps, and he finally sees what's going on. At the hidden alcove of the second staircase, a boy is getting his ass handed to him.

The large boy is curled in a ball to protect his head and stomach against the barrage of kicks. The group of seniors, as he assumes, laughs as the boy whimpers.

"Gonna call your mommy?" the leader mocks and laughs as blood soaks into the boy's white shirt. Tsuna can see the flush on his cheeks, could see the pleasure that this leader is getting from hurting the boy.

Just his luck. A sadist fuck who gets off on pain.

The larger boy turns his head to the side, glassy eyes meeting Tsuna's. He's begging, Tsuna thinks, as the boy's lower lip quivers in fear. _**HELP ME.**_

Finally noticing that Tsuna is there, the seniors turn to him. They're ready for another fight, Tsuna can tell. "Are you going to be his hero, fluffy?" the leader barks, and Tsuna looks at the boy, who's begging Tsuna to help, to rescue him from the torture. Long ago, Tsuna would have been compelled to save him, but unfortunately for them both, that part of Tsuna had died under the hands of his grandfather.

Tsuna turns his head and walks off, turning his back on them all. From the corner of his eye, he can see the betrayal in the boy's eyes, can see the hope fading in the background as Tsuna turns away from him. The leader laughs, as Tsuna continues his way to the second floor, howling with delight as the larger boy finally breaks. "Coward!" the leader calls after Tsuna who shrugs. Tsuna doesn't have it in him to care.

* * *

 _Pain is relative, his teacher once told him. He's trying to hold onto his sensei's lesson, to ignore the incessant throbbing of his limbs and the dull ache that thumps against his chest but he can't hold onto the numbness. "Do you ever wonder how humans can be able to conquer the world? Why we're the only civilized animals that can dominate over the others?" a voice asks, and Tsuna bites down on his teeth. He can hear them crack, can feel the way his skin is chaffing at the ropes that hold him down. "This" the man says, pointing at Tsuna's head, before landing on his heart. "We're a paradox. Trapped within our emotions and rationality. We like to limit ourselves to our morals, what we perceive to be right and wrong, to stick to our 'truth'. We're always in love or searching for it. We waste our lives with something as stupid as hope or if we're stupider, dedicate it to faith. But what if we can break free from such ridiculous limiters? What if we can become…._ _ **OTHER**_ _?" the man rants, and Tsuna looks around the darkness, his eyes blurry with delirious heat. Elongated canines lean down at Tsuna who blinks away the wetness that's gathered there. "I'll show you, Tsunayoshi-kun" he promises and Tsuna can't even prepare for what's happening next as a dirty hand plunges into his chest._

 _Tsuna screams._

"Sawada!" had been what woken him up. He lifts his head off his desk and could see his classmates laughing at him, as he failed to answer the question the teacher threw at him. "Next time, Sawada stay awake!" the teacher yelled and Tsuna nodded, wiping away at the drool from the side of his face.

"Wow, already one day and you're nicknamed Sleeping Beauty" Kyoko joked as they walked out of the gates together. He could see the stares they are getting from the weirdness that is their duo. She's as popular as ever, and even though he's just arrived at the school, he's already dubbed the newest loser. Though some are curious about his late, unwelcome entrance into the senior high. In their attempt to answer the question of who is Tsuna, others claimed to have known Tsuna before but couldn't remember exactly where. They just knew that he had returned to the city from sending sometime in the countryside taking care of his sick grandfather. So not only was he a dunce (they assumed), he is a country hick too.

"I hate you" Tsuna grumbled but Kyoko just laughed at him.

"Hey, did you hear about the Junior high chick?" someone asks and Tsuna glances at the no names as they walk past them. "I heard she was running around in her underwear!" one of the boys laughed and Tsuna pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You don't think…" Kyoko whispers, with wide eyes and an open mouth. Tsuna bit back the sigh that nearly escaped his lips.

* * *

Tsuna sees his mother as she's watering her plants for the last time, humming at her favorite song by Matsubara Miki, Stay with me. She's bobbing her head and swaying her hips, seemingly lost to the real world, but Tsuna can read her just fine. She's tense, from the way the corner of her lips tugs downwards in a mere second, the way her stance is readily poised in the…. She turns around and smiles at him. The fake one he used to fear so much. "You're home" she chirps and he nods, as he turns off the tap for the hose. "I hope you're hungry" she says as she takes his bag and he chuckles as she squeezes his upper arm in a silent warning. _Be careful_. He follows her inside, the sounds of a mortified Teruko filling the house, and when he enters the kitchen, he looks at the baby who's slapping his little sister on the forehead. Teruko's face lights up at his arrival and Tsuna allows a smile on his face.

"Aniki" Teruko whines pitifully and Tsuna can't resist the urge to ruffle her hair. He gazes down at the baby who's taking him apart with his calculative gaze. He can see how his little sister gulps as Tsuna takes in the sight of the baby, with interest (feigned on his part but she doesn't know that).

"Tsuna-kun, this is Reborn-chan! Teruko's tutor" his mother shouts and claps her hands together. Well, time to get on with this game, he guesses.

"What?!" he shouts, allowing incredulous concern into his voice. Reborn's interest disintegrates at the assumed idiocy displayed by Tsuna who splutters at his mother.

"Calm down, Tsuna-kun" his mother laughs, and she's pleased with him. Tsuna knows. She forces him into the seat next to Teruko, who's rubbing her red forehead. He can feel the baby staring at him, as his mother places a cup of green tea in front of him. "How do you, a baby plan to teach, Teruko-chan?" he asks, allowing incredulous disbelief to crack his voice.

"I come with an extensive resume" Reborn says with a click of the tongue. The green lizard shifts from its spot on his fedora.

"What? Mom!" Tsuna acts out, as he flails his arms at the baby then at his mother. "You really can't…." he shouts but stops as his mother places a hand on his shoulder.

"He's going to help Teruko-chan with a few subjects, Tsuna-kun. It's alright" she persuades him and Tsuna rubs at his face.

"Aniki, he's…. really good" Teruko pipes up and Tsuna can see that she's okay with it. Huh. He honestly expected her to resist becoming a Mafia boss, but apparently his little sister has surprised him yet again.

"If you say so" he concedes, making sure to raise his hand in mock surrender. His mother kisses his forehead and starts off dinner, ignoring them all. Tsuna sips on his tea, half heartedly listening to Reborn help his little sister with her homework, when his phone rings.

 **Incoming call: OLD BASTARD**

"Hello" he says when the call connects, and he can hear the rustle of papers from the other end.

"You have some nerve, kid" his grandfather laugh as Tsuna allows a goofy smile on his face at his voice. "I had to find out from Nao, that you've arrived safely. Shame on you" he jokes and Tsuna forces himself to splutter again when he feels Reborn's stare on him again. Creepy fucker.

"I was busy" he groans and gets up. Teruko shouts out a hello to their grandfather as he stomps upstairs to his room. He knows his conversation isn't safe, not even there but the illusion is better than nothing. "So, how are things over there?" he asks, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Quiet, now that you're gone. Good riddance" his grandfather says and Tsuna whines at him. "How are you?" he asks and Tsuna allows the emotions to fade from his face.

"Quiet too. Mom and Teruko-chan says hello" he tells him and covers his eyes as a headache plows through his skull. Nothing yet; will keep you informed; goes unsaid.

"Okay, that's good I guess. Look after them. See ya later kid" his grandfather says and with a goodbye, he remains sitting on his bed, face shadowed by the flickering rays of a setting sun.

* * *

It's nearly a week, since Reborn has situated himself in the Sawada household. He's watching his student as she moans at the pain in her arms. She's complaining about Reborn and his unfair treatment, as she walks with Hayato. The silver haired kid is trailing beside her with a reverent stare, as if she holds all the answers to the universe. She's exactly as her father reported (which surprises Reborn, he expected some sort of bias from the doting father, but he hadn't done anything to taint his report) she's polite, kind, friendly with her peers though she does have a mean jealousy streak in her, she's not smart nor is she a dunce, she's teetering on neutral ground, but what surprises Reborn is her penance for goodness. She's pure, untainted in virtue, and fair.

He watches as she calls for her mother, who approaches with a smile on her face, though she's pleasantly pleased with the sight of a blushing Hayato. It had been one day since the Italian boy had bowed low and sure to the Sawada household after he promised himself to Teruko.

Her brother hadn't been particularly pleased.

Speaking of her brother, the boy is nothing like his father described. Reborn had found it weird that he hadn't much information on his report, and when he glanced at the boy's father, he had the gall to look sheepish.

Reborn watches from the corner as the boy lounges on the couch with a book in his hand. He squawks as Teruko launches herself on him and sighs as she kisses his cheeks in a fit of childishness.

He doesn't acknowledge Hayato, who frowns and Reborn nearly chuckles. Teruko whispers a warning of "Behave" to her brother, who finally looks at the silver haired boy.

Hayato bows his head again in a fit of nervousness.

The boy is an enigma.

One minute, he's as dumb and cowardly as they come, but in rare moments like these, where he's staring at Hayato, Reborn wonders if there's more to the brown-haired boy.

He's possessive of Teruko and Mama.

He never mentions his father, he's close with his nameless grandfather, and he's best friends with the pretty girl he saw from before.

Here's what Reborn observes in the last week about Tsunayoshi:

He loves books, especially those on Japanese history

He randomly quotes philosophers like Plato or even Descartes

He's fluent in English (question of why and how arises)

At exactly 4 in the afternoon, he locks himself in his room for a skype call

He's a vegetarian, his favorite dish is Yasai Itami (Stir fry vegetables)

He runs 12 miles in the morning

He doesn't drink any soda, only water or tea

He hates sweets

And sometimes seems to be aware of Reborn

The last one perplexes and worries Reborn, because it's a feat no one especially not a Dame should have.

"Well, we're off to get some homework done!" Teruko says, getting up from her brother and pulling Hayato upstairs to her room.

"Keep the door open" Tsuna shouts and she rolls her eyes as they run upstairs. Reborn stays.

"Interesting choice" Reborn says and Tsuna's eyes widen but disappear under a smile. "A bit heavy, don't you say?" he asks and Tsuna shrugs as Reborn gazes at the copy of Kokoro (1914) by Natsume Soseki in his hands.

"It's interesting at least" Tsuna says as he stands. Reborn narrows his eyes at him watching Tsuna with a morbid fascination as the boy walks past him. "Under normal conditions, everybody is more or less good, or, at least, ordinary. But tempt them, and they may suddenly change. That is what is so frightening about men." The boy quotes as he stops to look down at Reborn. He smirks, something off about the gesture, though it doesn't contain any malicious content or any vindictive vendetta. It's not cold…. it's just empty. And that….it concerns Reborn. "Human beings are interesting. Right, _sensei_?" he laughs, and totters away, tripping on the way up the stairs.

Like Reborn said, an enigma.

* * *

Tsuna can't maintain his regular exercise, the schedule he kept at the clan house utterly broken under his Dame guise. He loathes the way he can feel his body is affected by the lack of exercise, but at least the running is helping, if but a little. He regulates his breathing as his legs hits the asphalt, listening to the meditation playlist that Nao had gotten for him. He needs it more than ever.

Reborn has him under a microscope, waiting for him to slip up, because the hitman is as paranoid as ever.

Hayato, his sister's new follower, is annoying as fuck. He grates on Tsuna's nerves, not because the little sick freak has a submissive, "I'll lick your boot if you ordered me to" kind of attitude going on, but because he's incompetent. He can't protect Teruko, yet he's prostrating himself as some kind of knight, as if he's capable of saving his little sister when the time calls for it.

Tsuna wants nothing but to slam his head until his skull crack open…. Tsuna takes a breath. He can't kill the twerp. He just has to wait and be patient.

However, that's when he feels it. A presence following him. It's not Reborn, he can tell. It's filled with a different kind of violence, one that stinks of desperation and Tsuna smirks.

Oh, this is just too fucking easy. The fun he's going to have.

He continues with his run, though he slows his pace and turns where he knows there will be an empty tunnel entrance. He doesn't even flinch when a knife is pressed against his lower back.

"Hand over the phone" the robber hisses, gesturing at the phone strapped on Tsuna's arm. Tsuna laughs, the dark humor making the robber pause. The fucking fool doesn't even register that he's flipped to his back, the knife that was in his hand, now poised at the base of his throat. He shivers as the sliver tip runs up his skin until it hovers against his Adam's apple. "Look, I didn't mean-…" he pleads, but the boy just cuts into the man's hoodie and shoves the now free strap of cloth into his mouth. Even now, the brown bangs are covering his eyes, though the boy's mouth is stretched in the most horrendous grin he's ever had directed at him.

"It's a sin to steal, ya know that?" the boy whispers, and the man doesn't dare move. He wants to run, to fucking turn himself in to the police, rather than spend anymore time with this fucking psycho. The boy leans in, until his mouth is pressed against the man's ear and mutters "It's time to teach you a lesson, so hold on tight"

No one hears him scream when the knife is driven into the side of his knee, slicing through cloth, past his skin to get to bone and ligament.

* * *

"Master" is whispered to him when he's finished. Tsuna stands, satisfied as he looks at the man. He had choked from having the cloth shoved so far down his throat. And Tsuna had been getting to the good part too. When Tsuna had looked up, he had seen how the man's eyes had glassed over to reveal that he had stopped breathing. A shame really. Just from a knife to the knee, and cloth in his throat. How weak.

"Get rid of it" Tsuna says when a new t-shirt and pants, companied with a pair of shoes are handed to him. "You know me so well" he sighs, and the man chuckles as he shows no hesitance in changing right there.

"He's not awake" the man says and Tsuna nods. He knows. Reborn never follows him on his runs again, because it leaves Teruko too open especially now that familiar people had been reported to enter Japan. Tsuna uses his old t-shirt to wipe away the blood at his hands and looks at the man. "Try not to make this a habit, master" the man chides and Tsuna just chuckles as he pulls on the laces of his new shoes.

"I'll try my best" he mockingly swears and when he's finished, stretches. The rage abates for the moment and the head ache stops. "Today is going to be a great day" Tsuna says and the man snorts, shaking his head as his master runs away.

"Time to clean up" he says and with a flick of the hand, three more men appear before dropping to their knees. "You heard master, get to work" he barks and they set out to make this disappear.

* * *

Author's notes:

Oya, oya, oya. It's been awhile. So here you go.

Points to note:

While canon events have been mentioned, I'm not going too in depth. I'm trying to avoid having to write the exact same canon episodes into this AU. Only when I've arrived at those really important fight scenes, I will do that tiresome shit. Besides this is Tsuna's side of a story where he's not involved with the Vongola nor is he Decimo. So as the story progresses and Tsuna places himself in that mafia drama, will there be more in-depth canon reenactment.

The Tsunayoshi you know and love, is not that person in this AU. He's dark AF, he's morally grey. He doesn't kill innocent people but won't hesitate to kill those he's deemed "unworthy". He's leaning on the apathetic side. In fact, he's such a traumatized boy, the negative emotions outweigh the positive. As we go forward, Tsuna will be even more dangerous and sadistic.

I've had questions about Tsuna having the Sky flames, I don't want to spoil anything yet but as we progress, we'll see how that goes. Hint: I mean, I think of the flames as an extension of the character. So even if Tsuna does has the sky flames, the question of whether or not he trains to use it, is the answer you'll have to wait and see. So, Yuki-chan, I'm not saying no, but I'm not saying yes either.


End file.
